About Me
- Rajiv S. Bhatt
- Rajiv was initiated to Indian Music at a very young age by his parents and since then has been an avid student of Tabla. His tutelage under Pandit Divyang Vakil (Ajarada, Dilli, Farukhabad and Punjab Gharanas) and Pandit Nakul Mishra (Beneras Gharana) and the influence of Ustad Zakir Hussain instilled in him a strong foundation in the art and science of Tabla across various Gharanas. His penchant for listening to diverse music has given him a broad understanding of various forms of music, be it Indian Classical (vocal, instrumental, dance)/ folk music or Western Classical/Jazz/Rock/Pop or fusion, and an insight into various schools and styles of Tabla playing. He represented the Gujarat University in the Indo-Japan Student Exchange Program in 1995-96 where he had the opportunity to demonstrate the vastness and intricacies of Tabla through live performances and lecture demonstrations. He has accompanied renowned artists (sitar, santoor, sarod, violin, guitar, vocal) of Ahmedabad. He played Tabla with a Latin American band in Edinburgh. Rajiv is a finance professional but is religiously devoted to Tabla and plays it more for self-enjoyment and a means of self-realization.