Ganayogi Panchakshara Gawai

Panchakshara Gawai was born in Kadashettihalli, Hangal Taluk, Karnataka. He was a Hindustani classical vocalist associated with the Kirana gharana. He founded Shree Veereshwara Punyashrama and organized a mobile music school that trained visually impaired children. His advanced training included instruction from Pandit Nilakant Bua Alurmath of Miraj. Puttaraj Gawai, one of his pupils, succeeded him in leading the institution after Panchakshara's death in 1944.