The Eternal Echo

A renowned Santoor player Dr. Dhananjay Daithankar has a glorious identity on the horizons of Indian classical Music. He’s a disciple of a santoor maestro Pt. Shivkumar Sharma. Academically, an Ayurvedic Medicine graduate, Dhananjay learnt Tabla for ten years from Pt. G.L. Samant & being enchanted by the notes of santoor has chosen this melodious instrument as his life’s mission. He started learning Santoor from Pt. Ratanlal Tikoo & to his great fortune, Pt. Shivkumar Sharma found a sparkling promise in him & invited him as his disciple. His performance of Santoor has been a wonderful exemplication of purity of Raga, a characteristic of Banaras Gharana.

He’s recipient of numerous awards like National scholarship, Surmani award, Dattopant Deshpande award at Sawai Gandharva Festival, Pune ki Asha. In 2019 he received prestigious ‘Prabha Atre’ Purskar by Ganvardhan.

As a solo Santoor artist he has traveled widely to Gulf countries, Europe & USA for several times for musical ventures.

Ninad Daithankar is a promising young Santoor player, recognised for his proficiency in classical music and versatility in other genres played on the Santoor. He is the son and disciple of the Santoor maestro Dr. Dhananjay Daithankar. With a B.E. in Electronics & Telecommunication and an M.A. in Music, Ninad has garnered several accolades, including the Citi-NCPA Scholarship for young artists, the Ajay Bakshi Smriti Puraskar, and the Indumati Kale Yuva Vadya Vadak Puraskar.

His performances at major music festivals across India, including Poornahuti, Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki Sangeet Mahotsav, and NupurNaad Festival, have earned him recognition. Ninad has also performed internationally, touring the USA, Canada, UK, and Europe, and was invited to perform at TedXGIM. He received appreciation and blessings from the legendary Pt. Shivkumar Sharma after a performance in his presence.

In addition to classical performances, Ninad has explored thematic concerts like ‘Moods & Melodies’ (original compositions) and ‘Sukoon,’ a soulful exploration of diverse genres of music on the Santoor.

Shantanu Deshmukh, born into a family of musicians, was drawn to Indian Classical Music from an early age. Trained in vocal music by his mother, Smita Deshmukh, and in tabla by his father, Milind Deshmukh, Shantanu’s passion for rhythms led him to focus more seriously on tabla. He received initial training from his father and Pt. Suresh Samant before studying the Banaras Gharana tradition under Pt. Arvind Kumar Azad and later, Pt. Subhankar Banerjee. After Pt. Banerjee’s passing, he has been mentored by Pt. Yogesh Samsi.

Shantanu blends techniques from different gharanas into his performances, excelling in both solo and accompaniment. He has performed with stalwarts like Ust. Shakir Khan and emerging artists such as Ninad Daithankar and Sweekar Katti. Notable performances include Swarsagar Music Festival and international tours for SPICMACAY and the Festival of Sufi Music & Culture in Morocco. He also explores Indo-Jazz compositions, blending jazz with Indian classical rhythms. Shantanu holds a master’s degree in music from Lalit Kala Kendra, University of Pune.