Classical music maestros Raja Kale, Tarun Bhattacharya honoured with Tansen Award

Classical vocalist Pandit Raja Kale was honoured with the Tansen Award for 2024 , while santoor maestro Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya received the 2025 award during the opening of the 101st Tansen Music Festival in Gwalior. Though the awards are named for specific years, both were presented together during this year’s festival .

The Tansen Award, instituted by the Madhya Pradesh government, is one of India’s highest honours for classical musicians , recognising lifetime achievement and contribution to the art form. Recipients received a ₹5 lakh cash prize, a citation, and a ceremonial shawl . Over the years, it has celebrated legends like Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Pandit Jasraj, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, and Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.

Alongside, the Raja Mansingh Tomar Awards were given to Sadhana Parmarthik Sansthan Samiti of Mandleshwar (2024) and Ragayan Sangeet Samiti of Gwalior (2025). Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav inaugurated the festival via video conferencing , highlighting Tansen’s legacy and the state’s cultural resurgence under Prime Minister Modi.

The five-day festival featured performances by Amjad Ali Khan and his sons, vocalist Sumitra Guha, sitarists Shivnath-Devbrata Mishra and Kalapini Komkali, and classical singer Sanjeev Abhyankar, while also providing a platform for local and emerging artists.

The Tansen Award combined prestige, recognition, and financial reward , celebrating artists who have dedicated their lives to preserving and promoting Indian classical music.