Shri 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.