Young Indian Classical Talent Takes Centre Stage At NCPA’s Citi Urja Concert This May

he city of Mumbai, which usually announces itself through honking taxis, hurried appointments, and the impatient sea pressing against its promenade, occasionally pauses for something gentler. On Friday, May 22, at the Godrej Dance Theatre of the NCPA, the city will surrender itself to ragas, memory, discipline, and promise. It is part of the NCPA Citi Urja series, a thoughtful initiative dedicated to presenting deserving young talent in the world of Hindustani vocal and instrumental music.

The word urja (meaning energy) feels apt here because Indian classical music itself demands a rare energy: one born not of speed, but of stillness, patience, and lifelong surrender. This year’s edition introduces two musicians whose journeys seem to have begun in childhood.

Khayal Vocalist Dr. Atindra Sarvadikar

The evening will first unfold through the voice of Dr. Atindra Sarvadikar, a khayal vocalist whose relationship with music began when he was just five years old, under the guidance of his mother, Vrinda Sarvadikar. Over the years, Dr. Sarvadikar trained under respected gurus including Dattusingh Gaherwar and the eminent vocalist Dr. Prabha Atre, a towering figure of the Kirana gharana. In 2016, he earned a PhD from the University of Mumbai for his research titled An Analytical Study of Evolving Trends Within the Kirana Gharana. Today, he serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Music at the University of Mumbai, balancing the roles of performer, researcher, and teacher.

Recognition, however, has followed him steadily. Among his honours are the national-level Baba Allauddin Khan Smriti Samman awarded by the Baba Allauddin Khan Music Foundation in Delhi, scholarships for Outstanding Young Artists from the Ministry of Culture and the Dadar Matunga Cultural Centre, and the Swarbhaskar Pt. Bhimsen Joshi scholarship. Dr. Sarvadikar has also authored books including RaagMudra – A Book of Compositions, Kirana: Gharane Parampara Ani Pravah, and an English translation of his academic research.

Sitarist Soumitra Thakur

Sharing the evening will be sitarist Soumitra Thakur, whose story too begins remarkably early. Initiated into music at the age of four, Thakur first trained in the Bishnupur style under the guidance of his uncle, Prashanta Thakur. An especially intriguing chapter in his artistic development came under the mentorship of the celebrated vocalist Rashid Khan, who encouraged him to bring the intricacies of vocal music into his sitar playing. It is an approach that has often elevated instrumental performance in Hindustani music. Thakur trains under Kushal Das of the Maihar gharana. An A Grade artiste of All India Radio, he has already accumulated an impressive list of honours, including the NCPA-Citi scholarship in 2021, the prestigious Balshree Award (President’s Award) for Creative Performance, and scholarships from the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Accompanying these musicians will be harmonium artiste Leeladhar Chakradev and tabla player Yati Bhagwat for Dr. Sarvadikar’s khayal recital, while Yashwant Vaishnav will lend rhythmic companionship to Thakur’s sitar performance. In Indian classical music, accompaniment is never secondary: it is conversation, gentle challenge, affectionate support. Classical music in India survives not merely because legends once existed, but because younger musicians continue to commit themselves to an art form that offers little instant gratification. There are no shortcuts to a raga.

In creating the Urja series, the NCPA has nurtured this difficult but beautiful continuity. Supported by Citi, the initiative recognises that audiences do not simply inherit culture: they must meet it anew, through fresh voices and emerging interpreters. For listeners, this concert offers a glimpse into the future custodians of a tradition that has travelled through centuries, surviving empires, technologies, and changing tastes. Although it's a free concert, prior registration is required via BookMyShow.

Event Details:

NCPA Citi Urja – Presenting Young Talent

Date: Friday, 22 May 2026

Time: Registration at 6 pm | Concert at 6.30 pm

Venue: Godrej Dance Theatre, NCPA, Mumbai

Entry: Free on a first-come, first-served basis