Rohan Dasgupta

Rohan Dasgupta is a Kolkata-born Indian classical Sitar player, composer, and teacher who has been nurturing and practising the art of Sitar playing for nearly 30 years. Born into a musical family, he was initiated into the world of music by Padmabhushan Ustad Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan (inventor of the Jafferkhani Baaj), and began formal Sitar training at the age of 9 in the traditional Guru Shishya Parampara, living with his guru Pandit Harashankar Bhattacharjee (his uncle and a senior disciple of Ustad Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan). He has also been blessed with numerous life-defining sessions directly from Ustad Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan himself, and for a period also learnt from the legendary Sarod artist Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta. He has additionally received guidance in Indian rhythm from tabla maestro Pandit Udai Mazumdar of the Banaras Gharana.

Belonging to the Indore Gharana, Rohan is a torchbearer of the rare and intricate 'Jafferkhani Baaj' style of Sitar playing — a meticulous and complex style created by Ustad Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan. He is credited for his clarity of complex techniques played over a Kharaj Pancham Sitar (including the 4th base string), complemented with intricate melodic dynamics.

A seasoned performer, Rohan has performed in over 20 countries across India, various European countries, Russia, South America, China, and the United States. He has presented lecture demonstrations and seminars at the Santa Cecilia Music Conservatory in Rome and the Giuseppe Verdi Music Conservatory in Milan, and has performed at the prestigious Sangeet Natak Academy. He has composed music for Indian classical dance dramas and classical and contemporary instrumental ensembles internationally.

His numerous awards and accolades include: Winner of the Maya Mitra music competition (2003), Pandit Vishnu Digambar award (2003), Rotary Club scholarship for outstanding young musician (2006), National scholarship from the Indian government (2007), President's award for winning the All India Radio competition (2008), Surmani title from Kal ki Kalakar Mumbai (2009), Ravi Koppikar Award from the National Centre for Performing Arts (2009), Gidnaar Ratna award Gujarat (2015), Jadu Bhatta award by Salt Lake Cultural Society Kolkata (2021), and ICCR empanelment (2017).

As a world musician, Rohan has released numerous albums and engaged in international collaborations including the Indo-Italian project 'Anatma', the Indo-Jazz project with Giuliana Soscia, and collaborations with German, Hollywood, and other international artists. He is Vice President of 'Aarohi Arts Association' in Kolkata and Artistic Director of 'Raga Slovenia' in Ljubljana, Slovenia.