Pandit Jasraj

Renowned Indian classical vocalist, born in 1930 in the northern state of Haryana, died at the age of 90 on 17 August 2020 in New Jersey, US. His musical career spanned eight decades across continents and he was performing and teaching online until the end. Jasraj was initiated into vocal music by his father. His elder brother Pandit Maniram Ji taught him playing tabla in the beginning and soon he became a successful tabla accompanist. The training as a vocalist began at the age of 15, and he performed his first stage concert as a vocalist at the age of 22. He worked as a performing artist on radio for several years before focussing on stage performances. Amongst other awards recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship. His second brother is Pandit Pratap Narayan – the father of the composer duo Jatin Lalit and singer/actress Sulakshana Pandit. He is also the greatuncle of Bollywood playback singer Shweta Pandit.