PANDIT SAMTA PRASAD

 Pandit Samta Prasad was one of the jem of Indian Classical Music. He was born on 20th july,1921 at "kaveer chowra" in Beneras. His father was Bachcha Mishra.samta ji had another name "GUDAI MAHARAJ". Samta ji began to learn tabla handling the fingure of his father in 5 years old but unfortunately his father left him for his heavenly abode when he was only in 7. So he took the discipleship of PANDIT BIKKU MAHARAJ JI (disciple of PANDIT BANDEV SAHAI JI). He used to practice for 17 to 18 hours daily and so he was being able to create his own throne as one of the succsessful tabla player in India. In the year 1942 he performed at Allahabad in-front of so many famous music maestros,but by the blessings of his guru and by his demonistic riyaz he had been praised a lot from all.

He performed in so many places in India like KOLKATA,MUMBAI,CHENNAI,LUCKHNAW ,BANGALORE and so on and also he had been taken over in abroad like PARRIS,LONDON,CHEKOSLOVAKIA,BULGERIA,HOLLAND etc and especially he achieved an immeasurable appreciation at EDINBERG in LONDON(UK).

He also took part as a tabla player in film industry like BASANTA BAHAR,ASAMAPTA,JHANAK JHAKAN PAYAL BAJE,MAHEBOOBA,CHIRADINER,DO ANJANE,SHOLAY,MERI SURAT TERI AANKHEN,AMPARALI,GUIDE and so on.

He also made so many disciples like PROF.NITIN CHATTERJEE, MANIKLAL PAUL,SATYANARAYAN VASHISTH,NABAKUMAR PANDA, BAPPI LAHIRI, RAHUL DEB BURMAN (R.D.BURMAN), PARTHA SARATHI MUKHERJEE and so on.

Samta ji also had potentiality to sing the thumri.

He had been achieved many awards like "PADMASREE'(1972), "SANGEET NATAK ACADEMY AWARD" (1979), "PRESIDENT PRIZE" (1987), "PADMABHUSAN" (1991).

 This "WIZARD OF TABLA" pandit samta prasad left us in 1994,but he was,he is and he will be in our minds for ever.