Dinkar Kaikini

Dinkar Kaikini, one of the high ranking Hindustani vocalist,  is rare product of both gharana training and scholastic education. Shri Dinkar Kaikini who was born in 1927, was placed at the age of seven under tutelage of Pt. Karekatte Nagesh Rao, a veteran exponent of the [Patiala] gharana. then he came under the influence of Pandi Omkar Nath Thakur, the maestro of Gwalior gharana. Another stalwart of same gharana Pandit Rajabhaiyya Poochwale also made deep impact on Shri Kaikini. It was his grooming under Pandit S. N. Ratanjankar, one of the most eminent musicologist and musician of his time that Kaikini was able to realize the grandeur and magnitude of the traditional music of North India. endowed with the rich voice, Shri Kaikini has the versatility to shape anything from Dhrupad, Dhamar and Khayal to Tappa, Tumari bhajan into marvels in sculptured music. He has also to his credit many self  composed ragas like 'Guna-Rnajani', 'Bhoopavali', 'Gagan Vihag' and 'Khem Dhawani'. He has written 150 compositions and set to traditional and self composed ragas. He has visited foreign countries. For many years he was associated with All India Radio as music producer. Presently he is principal of Bhartiya Sangeet Nartan Shikshapeeth of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay.

Source: Akashvani Sangeet Sammelan Souvenir, All India Radio, 1991