Pune: Bharat Ratna Pt. Bhimsen Joshi Classical Music Festival to be held between February 2 and 4
Pune: Bharat Ratna Pt. Bhimsen Joshi Classical Music Festival to be held between February 2 and 4
Organized by the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra
Pune, January 27, 2026: The Bharat Ratna Pt. Bhimsen Joshi Classical Music Festival will be organized from February 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, 2026, by the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra, and conceived by the State’s Cultural Minister, Ashish Shelar. The festival will be held at Bharat Natya Mandir in Sadashiv Peth from 6 PM onwards on all three days, and entry to the festival will be free for all on a first-come, first-served basis, informed Vibhishan Chavare, Director of the Directorate of Cultural Affairs.
Giving more information on this, Vibhishan Chavare said, “Bharat Ratna Pt. Bhimsen Joshi not only elevated classical music to a new height but also successfully made efforts to bring classical music to the common people during his lifetime. With the aim of expressing respect for his efforts and for him, the Directorate of Cultural Affairs of the Government of Maharashtra organizes the Bharat Ratna Pt. Bhimsen Joshi Classical Music Festival every year on Pandit Ji’s birth anniversary or death anniversary. This year, the festival has been organized on Monday, February 2nd, Tuesday, February 3rd, and Wednesday, February 4th.”
On Monday, February 2nd, at 6 PM, the festival will begin with a performance by Yash Kolhapur, an emerging and promising young singer who is also a recipient of a scholarship from the Directorate of Cultural Affairs. This will be followed by a performance by Vidushi Saniya Patankar, a vocalis from the Jaipur Atrauli Gharana. After this, the audience will be able to experience an instrumental jugalbandi and solo performances by Pt. Santosh Sant (flute) and Dr. Vithika Tikku (santoor). The first day will conclude with a performance by the renowned singer from the Mewati Gharana, Pt. Sanjeev Abhyankar.
Tuesday, February 3rd, The festival will begin on February 3rd with a vocal performance by Omkar Lohar, a recipient of a scholarship from the Directorate of Cultural Affairs. This will be followed by a vocal performance by Viraj Joshi, grandson of Bharat Ratna Pt. Bhimsen Joshi. Afterward, the audience will have the opportunity to experience a sarod performance by Shiraz Ali Khan, grandson of the renowned sarod player Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. The second day of the festival will conclude with a vocal performance by the father-son duo, Padma Bhushan Pt. Sajan Mishra and Pt. Swaransh Mishra, renowned singers of the Banaras Gharana.
The third day of the festival (Wednesday, February 4th) will begin with a combined tabla and pakhawaj performance by Avinash Patil and Anil Sarje from the Ramakrishna Spiritual Institute in Alandi, recipients of scholarships from the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, along with other students from the institute. This will be followed by a vocal performance by the promising singer Shrinivas Kenche. The audience will then be able to enjoy a vocal performance by Pt. Sudhakar Chavan, a vocalist of the Kirana Gharana, and his daughter Shashwati Chavan. The third day of the festival will conclude with a violin performance by the renowned violinist Vidushi Kala Ramnath. The entire festival will be compered by Shobha Kulkarni.
