Prabha Atre


Prabha Atre was an Indian classical vocalist from the Kirana gharana. She was awarded all three of the Padma Awards by the Government of India. She died in Pune from cardiac arrest on 13 January 2024, at the age of 91.
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Early life and education

Atre was born to Abasaheb and Indirabai Atre in Pune. As children, Atre and her sister, Usha, were interested in music, but neither of them planned to pursue music as a career. When Atre was eight, Indirabai was not keeping good health, and at a friend's suggestion that classical music lessons would help her feel better, she took a few lessons. Listening to those lessons inspired Atre to learn classical music.
Her music training was in the Guru-shishya tradition. She learnt classical music from Sureshbabu Mane and Hirabai Badodekar from the Kirana gharana. She acknowledged the influence of two other greats, Amir Khan for khyal and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan for thumri, on her gayaki. She also had formal training in Kathak dance style for a short period.
While studying music, Atre earned a Bachelor of Science from Fergusson College in Pune. Later she completed an LL.B. from University of Pune Law College. She also studied at Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London. She later also earned a PhD in music. Her doctoral thesis was titled Sargam, and pertained to the use of sol-fa notes (sargam) in Indian classical music.

Career

Atre had a short stint as a singing stage-actress in the early days of her career. She also played roles in a line-up of Marathi theatre classics, which included Sangeet Nataks like Sanshay-Kallol, Maanaapamaan, Saubhadra and Vidyaharan. She acted wonderfully along with stage artists Ganpatrao Bodas, Chhota Gandharva, Ram Marathe, PL Deshpande, Prasad Savkar, Bhalchandra Pendharkar and created great impact with her effective singing style.
Atre was one of the senior vocalists in the country representing the Kirana Gharana. Her first LP, with Maru Bihag, Kalavati and Khamaj Thumari clearly demonstrates her extraordinary artistry and creativity.This is probably maximum sold out record of Indian classical music. She contributed to popularizing Indian classical vocal music at global level. She had exceptional command over various musical genres such as Khyal, Thumri, Dadra, Ghazal, geet, Natyasangeet, and bhajans.

As a composer

  • Book of compositions Swaranginee ''Swaranjanee and Swararangee''.
  • She also invented new Raags such as Apurva Kalyan, Darbari Kauns, Bhinna Kauns, Patdeep-Malhar, Shiv Kali, Shivani, Kalaheer, Tilang-bhairav, Ravi-Bhairav, Kaushik Bhairav and Madhur-kauns
  • Music compositions adapted to full-length dance programme 'Nritya Prabha' – choreographed by the Bharatanatyam danseuse Sucheta Bhide Chapekar.
  • Music composition adapted for jazz by Susanne Abbuehl from the Netherlands.
  • Music composed for musical-dramas and Sangeetikas.

Related activities

Atre taught music, performing lecture-demonstrations, and writing on the topic of Indian classical music.

Awards

Discography

  1. Maru Bihag, Kalavati, Khamaj thumri
  2. Niranjani – Puriya Kalyan, Shankara, Basant
  3. Anant Prabha – Lalit, Bhinna Shadja, Bhairavi thumri
  4. Bageshree, Khamaj thumri
  5. Jogkauns, Todi, thumri
  6. Malkauns, dadra
  7. Chandrakauns
  8. Madhukauns
  9. Madhuvanti, Desi
  10. Yaman, Bhairav
  11. Shyam Kalyan, Bihag, Rageshree thumri
  12. ghazal and bhajan recordings from live concerts from the 1970s

Books

Books of music compositions:
1. Swaranjanee
2. Swaranginee
3. Swararangee
Books containing her musical thoughts:
1. Swaramayee
2. Suswaralee
3. Along the path of Music
4. Enlightening the listener
Book of poetry:
Antah Swar

Disciples

Atre gave private lessons to students beginning in 1969. Dr. Prabha Atre mentored numerous students through her skilled and dedicated teaching methods, many of whom later became well-known musicians in their own right. She was associated with SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai, where she served as a department head. From 1960 onwards, she toured extensively abroad to perform, teach, and propagate Indian classical music. She also established the Swaramayee Gurukul in Pune to train students in the traditional Guru–Shishya Parampara. Her noted disciples include Alka Joglekar, Vijaya Patki, Asha Parasnis, Padmini Rao, Chetna Banawat, Atindra Sarvadikar, Arati Thakur, Ashvini Modak, and Fumie Nigeshi, among others. As a tribute to Dr. Prabha Atre ji, four of her leading disciples—Arati Thakur, Atindra Sarvadikar, Chetna Banawat, and Ashvini Modak—presented a spellbinding concluding performance at the prestigious Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Sangeet Samaroh, Pune, in 2024.