Sri. Dinesh Kumar Sampat, a distinguished Maihar-gharana musician, excels equally in vocal, percussion, and instrumental traditions. Trained at Pandit Ravi Shankar’s Kinnara School of Music and later under Pandit Kartik Kumar, he earned the “Surmani” title in 1974. A graded artiste of All India Radio and Doordarshan, he has performed widely, directed music for television, and is renowned for his raga interpretations on Hawaiian guitar and santoor, combining crystalline tone with dynamic flow. A leading guru in Mumbai, he is also the inventor and copyright holder of the “Taraf-cum-Swar Mandal” guitar, celebrated for its rich, resonant sound.

Vidushi Shashikala Kaikini, acclaimed All India Radio artiste and revered guru, is the widow of Agra-gharana maestro Pt. Dinkar Kaikini. Former Principal of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s College of Hindustani Classical Music and Dance, she now leads Svarit, the Kaikini family trust, curating concerts, archives, and lecture-demonstrations to preserve Panditji’s legacy. Founder of the pioneering bilingual journal Bharatiya Sangeet in the 1960s, she continues to mentor musicians, ensuring the Agra-gharana’s rich gayaki thrives on modern stages.

Dr. Dhananjay Daithankar, a Pune-based santoor maestro and senior disciple of Padma Vibhushan Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, began on tabla before transitioning to santoor in 1977. A top-graded AIR/Doordarshan and ICCR-empanelled artiste, he has performed at premier festivals including Sawai Gandharva and Tansen Samaroh, and toured the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Honours include the Surmani title, a national scholarship, and the Dattopant Deshpande Award. His production Nupur-Nāad, with Bharatanatyam exponent and wife Dr. Swati Daithankar, reflects his mission to expand the santoor’s expressive scope.

Mitali Banerjee Bhawmik, a Hindustani classical vocalist from Nagaon, Assam, trained under Sri Ajit Dutta, Late Shree Biren Phukan, Srimati Meera Banerjee, and since 1984, Padmabhushan Pt. V. G. Jog. Renowned for radiant khayal and expressive thumri, she has performed at major venues from Kolkata’s Dover Lane and Mumbai’s NCPA to Yale, Princeton, and London’s Nehru Centre. Her albums—Vandana, Rasiya, Hrid Majhare, and Smaran—and her feature in Mira Nair’s The Namesake highlight her artistry. Based in New Jersey, she directs Ethnomedia Music Studio, founded the non-profit Raag-Rang, and, supported by New Jersey State Council on the Arts grants, mentors emerging musicians while promoting Hindustani music globally.