Rahul Deshpande

Rahul Deshpande, born on 10 October 1979 in Pune, is an acclaimed Hindustani classical vocalist and actor who carries forward the musical legacy of his grandfather, the legendary Patiala Gharana doyen Pandit Vasantrao Deshpande. He developed his interest in vocal music by studying the music of Kumar Gandharva and initially sought guidance from Pandit Gangadharbuva Pimpalkhare and Dr. Madhusudhan Patwardhan. He further trained under Smt. Ushatai Chipalkatti and Pandit Mukul Shivputra. His expansive repertoire includes khayal, tap khayal, dhruvpad, thumri, kajri, hori, tappa, ghazal, abhang, bhajan, natyasangeet, and bhavgeet. He is the recipient of a National Film Award, Filmfare Awards Marathi, and Maharashtra State Film Awards for his work in Me Vasantrao. Every year he arranges Vasantotsav in memory of his late grandfather. He has performed extensively across India and internationally, emerging as one of the most prominent young faces of Indian classical music.