Manjiri Asanare–Kelkar
{{short description|Indian classical vocalist (born 1971)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Indian name|Manjiri|Asanare–Kelkar}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Manjiri Asanare–Kelkar
| image = Manjiri Asanare–Kelkar.png
| image_size =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|09|25|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Sangli, Maharashtra, India
| occupation = Singer
| parents =
| spouse =
| module = {{Infobox musical artist
| embed = yes
| background = solo singer
| genre = Hindustani classical music
| instrument = Vocals
| label =
}}
| website = {{website|www.manjiriasanare-kelkar.com}}
|years_active =
| awards = Kumar Gandharva Samman
Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar
}}
Manjiri Asanare–Kelkar (born 1971) is an Indian Hindustani classical vocalist from Sangli, Maharashtra. She is a follower of Jaipur-Atrauli gharana tradition in Hindustani khyal. She received many awards including Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar by Sangeet Natak Akademi and Kumar Gandharva Samman by the government of Madhya Pradesh.
Biography
Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar was born on 25 September 1971,{{Cite web |title=Manjiri Asnare Kelkar |url=https://www.sangeetnatak.gov.in/public/uploads/awardees/docs/1722325868_1%2520(2).pdf}}{{Dead link|date=March 2025}} into a family of musicians in Sangli, Maharashtra. Her father Anand Asanare was a Tabla player. She began studying vocal music at the age of six, first under M.T. Mhaiskar and Madhusudan Kanetkar, and later under Padma Talwalkar and the late Kishori Amonkar.{{cite news |last1=Nadadhur |first1=Srivathsan |title=Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar interview: True to Jaipur-Atrauli gharana |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/manjiri-asanare-kelkar-interview-true-to-the-jaipur-atrauli-gharana/article19263964.ece |work=The Hindu |date=12 July 2017 |language=en-IN |archive-date=25 June 2023 |access-date=6 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230625004855/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/manjiri-asanare-kelkar-interview-true-to-the-jaipur-atrauli-gharana/article19263964.ece |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Manjiri Asanare-Kelkar {{!}} Darbar |url=https://www.darbar.org/artist/manjiri-asanare-kelkar |website=www.darbar.org |access-date=2025-01-06 |archive-date=2024-12-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213232246/https://www.darbar.org/artist/manjiri-asanare-kelkar |url-status=live }} Her first music teacher, Mhaiskar, taught her the basic fundamentals of the Khyal. Her later guru Kanetkar initially refused to accept her as his disciple, but after hearing Manjiri sing at the age of 18, he agreed to teach her on a trial basis for six months. This guru-shishya style of study continued and she trained under him for almost 20 years.
She graduated with a postgraduate degree in English literature and masters degree in music from the.{{Clarify|date=March 2025}}
Career
In Hindustani classical music, Manjiri is a follower of Jaipur-Atrauli gharana tradition in khyal.{{cite news |title=On a Classical Note |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/music/on-a-classical-note-4/ |work=The Indian Express |date=19 February 2015 |language=en |archive-date=6 July 2015 |access-date=6 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706122136/http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/music/on-a-classical-note-4/ |url-status=live }} Manjiri has performed at many music festivals across India including the Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Festival, Tansen Samaroha,and Takshila Utsav{{Cite news |date=2012-10-29 |title=Takshila Utsav begins on Friday |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/takshila-utsav-begins-on-friday/articleshow/16999582.cms |access-date=2025-01-06 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}} and Shankarlal Festival.{{Cite web |last=Post |first=Garhwal |date=2024-08-08 |title=Students enjoy Hindustani Vocals by Manjiri Asanare Kelkar {{!}} Garhwal Post |url=https://garhwalpost.in/students-enjoy-hindustani-vocals-by-manjiri-asanare-kelkar/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |language=en-US}} Other than singing in various stages across India, she also toured to Dubai, United Kingdom, Holland, Belgium, Australia and New Zealand.
Manjiri is an approved A-grade vocal artist of the All India Radio.{{cite news |last1=Post |first1=Garhwal |title=Students enjoy Hindustani Vocals by Manjiri Asanare Kelkar {{!}} Garhwal Post |url=https://garhwalpost.in/students-enjoy-hindustani-vocals-by-manjiri-asanare-kelkar/ |date=8 August 2024}} She is also a trained Kathak dancer.{{Cite web |last=Inamdar |first=Nikhil |date=2019-05-16 |title=Why a 'flag-bearer' of Kishori Amonkar and Alladiya Khan's gharana isn't often seen at big concerts |url=https://scroll.in/magazine/919623/why-a-flag-bearer-of-kishori-amonkar-and-alladiya-khans-gharana-isnt-often-seen-at-big-concerts |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Scroll.in |language=en}}
Awards and honors
Manjiri received many awards and honors including Music Scholarship by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, Surashree Kesarbai Kerkar Scholarship instituted by National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai, Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar by Sangeet Natak Akademi,{{Cite web |title=Sangeet Natak Akademi introduces ' Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar |url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/erelcontent.aspx?relid=24949}} the Gaan Hira award by the SNDT Women's University, the Kumar Gandharva Samman by the government of Madhya Pradesh, Sanskriti Award from the Sanskriti Pratishthan in Delhi, and the Gaan Saraswati Puraskar.{{cite web |title=Jhankar - Greater Cincinnati's Indian Classical Music and Arts Organization |url=https://jhankar.org/events/2018/summary/manjiri.html |website=jhankar.org |access-date=2025-01-06 |archive-date=2024-08-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240806022032/https://jhankar.org/events/2018/summary/manjiri.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Manjiri Asnare {{!}} The Raza Foundation |url=https://www.therazafoundation.org/awards-Manjiri-Asnare |website=www.therazafoundation.org |language=en-us |access-date=2025-01-06 |archive-date=2024-07-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728210612/https://www.therazafoundation.org/awards-Manjiri-Asnare |url-status=live }}