BIO
Born into a musically rich environment in West Bengal, Debasmita is one of India’s finest young Sarode players, representing the rich musical tradition of the Senia Shahjahanpur Gharana. Debasmita’s musical journey began at the tender age of 4. She first started learning from her father and guru, Sarode maestro Pandit Debasish Bhattacharya. Consequently, she entered into the tutelage and guidance of the late Sarode virtuoso, legendary Padma Bhushan Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta of the Senia Shahjahanpur Gharana.
Debasmita attended the ITC Sangeet Research Academy (Kolkata) until 2017, under the constant vigil of her guru Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta. During her tenure as a scholar in the academy, she had the good fortune of being closely associated with eminent musicians and gurus like Smt. Girija Devi ji, Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan, Pandit Ajay Chakraborty and Pandit Ullas Kashalkar to name a few. As an “A” – grade scholar of the prestigious Academy, Debasmita is fortunate to have shared the stage with the great maestros during ITC SRA Music Festivals, organised across India and abroad. She has performed in Kolkata & other parts of West Bengal, Mumbai, Varanasi, Vadodara and Bangladesh.
Under the strict, yet affectionate guidance of her guru, Debasmita slowly bloomed into a very able disciple. This has led to her development and growth as a promising and competent performer of the young generation. She is well rooted in the foundations of her guru’s knowledge and teachings of the Senia Shahjahanpur Gharana, which has enabled her the ability to explore music, raga and the many shades of human emotion through her own expressions and idiosyncrasies.
Debasmita is currently empanelled with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). She has also been associated with Spicmacay since 2014, where she has regularly conducted numerous music workshops and classes for the youth across India. She believes in giving back to the community what music has given her.
While focusing on sarod as her main subject, Debasmita has been largely influenced by her
mother, Sangita Bhattacharya, who is an acclaimed Indian classical vocalist. Her inspiration is drawn from both sarod and vocal training. Debasmita still remains, to this day, an outstanding vocalist with a God gifted voice that has been acknowledged by the maestros of India. This rich background of music in her home, and her associations over time have all played a vital role in Debasmita’s musical journey. Each element inspires her music, which brings a unique flavour to the audiences worldwide. Debasmita has always been a keen academic. She has completed her graduation in Bengali Literature from the prestigious Scottish Church College (Kolkata). She also completed a Masters degree in Music from Rabindra Bharati University.
AWARDS
2008
Received the “Sangeet Praveen” by the Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh
2013
1st prize winner at Doverlane Music Competition
2014
Received a senior scholarship from the Indian Ministry of Culture
2015
1st prize winner at West Bengal State Music Academy
NATIONAL PERFORMANCES
2014
Ballygunge Maitreyee Music Festival, Kolkata
2015
ITC Sangeet Sammelan, Kolkata
Sangeet Sankalp Saptak Festival, Ahmedabad
Agartala Sangeet Utsavp, Tripura
2016
Varanasi Music Festival, Varanasi
2017
Nagpur Sangeet Samaroh, Nagpur
Dharwad Music Festival, Karnataka
Dev Gandharva Prempriya Sangeet Samaroh, Vadodara
Malhar Festival, Kolkata
2018
IGNCA, Delhi
INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCES
2013
2014
2015
Prabasi Bharatiya Sangeet Sammelan – California, USA
2016
2017
Darbar Festival – London, UK
Holland India Festival – The Hague, Holland
Muscat Classical Music Festival – Muscat, Oman
New Arts Exchange – Nottinghamshire, UK
South Asian Arts Agency – UK Edinburgh Music Festival – Edinburgh, Scotland
2018
Chaiti Music Festival – Shanghai, China
2019
“Music of India Series” Darbar Festival – London, UK
PROJECT COLLABORATIONS
Debasmita has been involved with various collaborative projects with musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds. This has given her an opportunity to engage with a global cultural dialogue, moving beyond boundaries at a human scale.
2016
UK/India
Documentary film on Punjab and the high rate of drug abuse and suicide in the region
Dosti
Traveller Album
USA
Project held by the Dosti organisation (USA) to promote one-ness & friendship through a musical collaboration between USA, India and Pakistan
2017
UK
2018
Music Director
India
Cross cultural music initiative between Japan and India
Motherhood: Musician India
Biopic animation film about Mata Saheb, a great Sikh warrior, who stood against l oppression Inequality.
2019
India
A collaborative exploration between sarod and Kathak dance form, between raga and taal, melody and rhythm
(In collaboration with Kathak exponent Paromita Bhattacharya)
The Music
“Debasmita Bhattacharya sarodiya is the youngest and electrifying to hear and watch her command on her instrument, rarely played by women, awesome”
“The Statesman” – 29th August 2017
– “Asian Arts Agency” – Oct 2017
“Music has no boundaries and it is only for the human. Learning music is much bigger than developing a skill and making it a profession”
Debasmita Bhattacharya
Gallery
Press
Telegraph
Indyana
Concerts
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FEATURED PAST EVENTS:
AHMEDABAD
13th April
KUWAIT
2nd May
DARBAR FESTIVAL
London, UK
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