Prabha Atre

Prabha Atre was one of the senior-most vocalists of Hindustani classical music, from the Kirana gharana, and also a composer, scholar, author and teacher. She was named for the Padma Vibhushan in 2022 in the field of art, from Maharashtra ^[1]. She had received the Padma Shri in 1990 and the Padma Bhushan in 2002 ^[2].

Science, law and music

Atre was born on 13 September 1932 ^[2]. She earned degrees in science and law, and a doctorate in music ^[2]. She worked with All India Radio and later as professor and head of postgraduate music studies at SNDT Women’s University in Mumbai ^[2].

A voice for change

From 1969 she gave full-length vocal concerts in the West, among the first singers to do so ^[2]. She made thoughtful use of sargam, the sung note names, and brought in gamak ornaments from Carnatic music ^[2]. She paid close attention to voice quality and clear pronunciation, argued for dropping outdated conventions, and brought new depth and dignity to the thumri ^[2].

She composed and published about 550 compositions, from classical to light music, in three books, and wrote books on music in English for readers worldwide; her doctoral thesis on sargam was a pioneering study ^[2]. At SNDT she designed a broad syllabus that took in folk, Carnatic, Western and world music along with acoustics and aesthetics ^[2]. She set up a foundation and the Swaramayee Gurukul to train students ^[2].

Atre died at her home in Pune on 13 January 2024, aged 92 ^[3].