Vijay Sardeshmukh

Pandit Vijay Sardeshmukh (23 June 1952 - 5 October 2019) was an Indian Hindustani classical vocalist and one of the most distinguished disciples of the legendary Pandit Kumar Gandharva. Born into a musical family, he was initiated into music by his father Vitthalrao Sardeshmukh, a Sanskrit pandit, vocalist, and accomplished harmonium player. Kumar Gandharva, a close friend of Vitthalrao, became Vijay's guru from 1971 onward. He made his debut at the Swar Sadhana Conference in Pune in 1974 and became a Graded Artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan from 1977. Among Kumar Gandharva's many disciples, Sardeshmukh's presentation was widely recognized as being closest to his guru's style, inheriting his fusion of philosophical thought and music. He was an honored guru for postgraduate studies at Pune University and taught for decades until his death in 2019. His recordings were released by His Master's Voice and Alurkar Music House Pune.