Pandit Vidur Mallick

Born in the Amta village of Darbhanga in 1935, Pandit Vidur Mallik inherited the dhrupad music from his father Lt. Pandit Sukhdev Mallick, renowned musician. He was the descendent of Late Pt. Radha krishna, the elder of the two brothers who started the musical tradition of the Darbhanga tradition. The King of Darbhanga decorated the family with the title “Mallick” because of the marvelous impact of the divine musical practice of their ancestors.

Pandit Vidur Mallick popularized Dhrupad by his concerts and workshops, and performed widely in India and abroad. He was a 'TOP' grade artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan. Together with his sons and the Pakhawaj player, Pt. Ramji Upadhyaya, he visited Europe for the first time in 1983 during a Dhrupad festival organized by Peter Pannke in cooperation with the International Institute for Comparative Music Studies and Documentation. He was a regular performer at Germany, England, Holland, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, France, Spain, USA etc.

He founded a Dhrupad Gurukul named Pandit Sukhdeo Mallik Sangeet Samiti , a music school in the name of his father and Guru in Vrindawan, the centre of Krishna worship and home town of Dhrupad near Delhi. In 1983, Panditji accepted the position of Dhrupad Acharya in the Brajakala Gurukul run by Sri Caitanya Prem Sansthan,Vrindawan. He ave training to many students including foreigners who learned the Dhrupad music of Darbhanga gharana according to “Guru-Shisya” parampara (tradition), today many of them are an established musiciaN. His Contribution in popularizing the Ancient Classical music Dhrupad can be seen by his good number of disciples all over the world.

A book called “The Darbhanga Tradition-Dhrupada in the School of Pandit Vidur Mallik” by Selina Thielemann was published for the Education and research purpose on Dhrupad. He was also featured in the documentary movie “Dhrupad Parampara”.

Apart from being a great Vocalist, he was also a great composer; he made several compositions in Rare Ragas with Swami Haridas & Mia Tansen pada. He was felicitated with many prestigious awards for his excellent music and for his contribution in the Dhrupad & its popularity in India as well as abroad. The great Maestro left the Music world in the year 2002, leaving behind his huge family, Sons, grandsons & many talented students but his presence is always there in the music of Darbhanga Gharana.

Pandit Prem Kumar Mallick

One of the oldest tradition of musicians since 18th century, the Dhrupad tradition of Darbhanga and the Mallick family-they both are one & the same thing. Pandit Prem Kumar Mallick belongs to the illustrious musical family of Darbhanga Gharana and represents the 12th generation of this musical lineage. His training in Dhruvpad- Dhammar started at an early age under the guidance of his father late Pt. Vidur Mallick, the Dhrupad maestro. He had the opportunity of learning from his grandfather Lt. Pt. Sukhdev Mallick, the renowned Dhrupad singer.

He is a ‘TOP’ Grade artist in Dhrupad Vocal, the highest ranking given by All India Radio & Doordarshan and is also a well known ‘A’ Grade artist in Hindustani Classical Vocal of All India Radio & Television.

Pt. Prem Kumar Mallick is associated with some top-notch centers for studies of music for the teaching of Dhrupad vocal & instrumental. He has performed in major musical festivals in India and abroad including the Festival of India held in the US, Canada, the Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Scotland, Switzerland and Denmark, enthralling the audience everywhere. With number of audio and video cassettes, CDs and DVDs, numerous awards and accolades, and a distinguished performance career in India and around the world, he is widely recognized as one of the greatest Dhrupad Vocalist of the world.

As a Dhrupad Vocal expert he has recorded an Archival Audio-Video recording by Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), Govt. of India, New Delhi.

Outside India, his concerts have been recorded by Radio Bremen (BR), Radio Frankfurt (HR), Radio Belgium (BRJ), Radio Saarbrucken (SR), Radio Cologne (WDR), Radio Berlin (RBB), Radio Nuitwengen, BBC London, Radio Berne, Hungarian Radio Budapest, Radio Munich and many more.

He is a member at the Northern American Dhrupad Association (NAAD), U.S.A as well as was an invited artist –in-residence in Berlin on the invitation of the German Academic Exchange Program. He is also in the Board of Experts (Jury member) of All India Radio, New Delhi. Dr. Mallick is not only an excellent performer but also a remarkable teacher with many students. He has spread a wide range of Young Dhrupad talents all over the world for the growth and popularity of this Ancient Music.

At present, he is teaching as a Professor in the Music & performing Arts Department of Allahabad University.