Malabika Kanan

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Around 12.30pm on Tuesday 17th February, 2009, Hindustani classical vocalist and ITC SRA guru, Vidushi Malabika Kanan passed away at Mohan Clinic, Mudiali, Kolkata. Born on 27th December 1930 in Lucknow, the graceful, beautiful and talented Malabika was one of the foremost women khayal exponents of the country. Well known for her distinctive ability to maintain both the traditional purity of the khayal form and the aesthetic beauty of a raga, she had a rich repertoire of current as well as rare ragas and bandishes. An extremely tuneful voice, a rich, structured and dignified style in the slow 'Khayals' and 'alaaps', and ease and variety in 'taans' are some of the qualities that made Malabika an outstanding musician. The timbre of her voice has sweetness, accuracy, pliability, a wide range and ‘Taiyari’. Malabika started her musical training when she was four years old. Her first guru was her father, the late Rabindralal Roy, a well-known musicologist and a disciple of Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande. She received systematic training from him in dhrupad, dhamar and khayal for a number of years. She also learnt Rabindrasangeet from Santidev Ghosh and Suchitra Mitra. Travelling to many parts of the country with her father, Malabika had the advantage of living with, and learning from him. At 15, she gave her first performance on All India Radio (AIR), singing Raga Ramkali and she went on to become a regular broadcaster. She was 16 when she gave her first performance at

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