Navin Sharma

Pandit Navin Sharma, born on 5 November 1975 in Kalyan, Maharashtra, is a dholak player and percussionist associated with Indian folk and classical music traditions. He is regarded as a contemporary exponent of the dholak.

He began his training under the guidance of his father and first guru, Shri Shyam Rughuram Sharma, who introduced him to percussion at a young age. To strengthen his classical grounding, he later studied tabla under the noted maestro Ustad Allah Rakha, gaining a deeper understanding of rhythm and tala structure.

An early milestone in his career came when, at the age of 12, he recorded for a private album with composer R. D. Burman, marking his entry into the professional music field at a young age.