Remembering a singer who can never be forgotten

Exactly a year ago, on this very day, June 25, the world of music lost one of the greatest icons of Ghazal singing, Pandit Vithal Rao. He was a court singer of the Last Nizam of Hyderabad. He was popular all over the world and was adored by one and all.

There was a time when the rulers of Hyderabad ‘The Nizams’ were so impressed with his singing that he was made in charge of the Military band which was predominantly western music oriented.Vithal Rao went on to create a unique blend of Indian music for the band.

His nephew Sunil Rao Says, “We are planning to commemorate his legacy by starting competitions in Ghazals which can encourage the youth to take it up as a career.” Deepak Rao, another nephew said,“I travelled with him all over the world.

I have seen stalwarts from the Hindi film industry which included actors, actresses, singers, music directors, lyric writers and composers attending his concerts. They all were great ‘fans’ of him. He used to always guide me in with accompaniments and help me enhance the melody by giving the right rhythm.

His student Niraja Giri shared, “He had lot of patience. He taught music to anybody and everybody. He would love to teach people who had no connection with music also. He was very keen that some sense of music would come in them. He would suddenly exclaim ‘Dekho sur laaga hai’.

He wanted them to at least become appreciative listeners. He served music in its true sense. He was a very simple man and never bothered about payments as well. His world was just music and nothing else. He had tremendous stamina. He would sing from late evening till maybe even the early hours of the day.

Even when he had fever he would sing, inspite of us asking him to rest and would say ‘Agar gaaya toh bukhar thik hojata.. Varna Baadh jaata’ (If I sing the fever will come down, if not it will increase). Vithal Rao trained many students from all age groups and has left behind a legacy of students who would always be looking forward to fill the vacuum in the field of Ghazals.

By: Jaywant Naidu