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Sarod player Pt Tejendra Narayan Majumdar honoured with Padma Shri: ‘Such a big endorsement to classical music’

Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, one of the most popular and celebrated modern sarod players, trained under a host of noted musicians.

An exponent of the Maihar Gharana, Majumdar, 63, started his training under his grandfather Bibhuti Ranjan Majumdar with a mandolin as well as his father, Ranjan Majumdar. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar was performing with Pt Bickram Ghosh at the IIT Kharagpur’s Spring Fest when he came that he was among those conferred with the Padma Awards this year.

An exponent of the Maihar Gharana, Majumdar, 63, started his training under his grandfather Bibhuti Ranjan Majumdar with a mandolin as well as his father, Ranjan Majumdar. He continued his training under many notable musicians, including Ustad Bahadur Khan, and vocal and tabla training under Pandit Amaresh Chowdhury, Anil Palit, Pandit Ajay Sinha Roy, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, and Pandit Ravi Shankar.

He trained under Bahadur Khan for 18 years until he died, and continued his training under Ajay Sinha Roy and Ali Akbar Khan.

Speaking to Indian Express, Majumdar said, “I was reaching the IIT Spring Festival when I got the call from North Gate. Bickram was with me I was so surprised I just held his hand. The list was officially released during the concert.”

One of the most popular and celebrated modern sarod players, Majumdar said the recognition was completely unexpected. “They have given such a big recognition for Indian classical music for our generation. It is very special that they have given such a big endorsement to the classical fraternity. It is a joyous moment. I dedicate this recognition to all my gurus, family, and well-wishers. Such a national recognition always feels nice but it also increases the responsibility that we have to do more good work.”

Majumdar is among the nine people from West Bengal who have been honoured with the Padma Shri this year. President Droupadi Murmu approved the conferment of 139 Padma Awards 2025, including seven Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri Awards.

Tanusree Bose

Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage. Experience Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness. Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances. Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including: State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies. Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues. Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE). Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read More

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