Pravin Gaonkar

Pravin Gaonkar’s musical journey began at home under the guidance of his father, the late Shri Pandurang Gaonkar. His early grounding led him to Kala Academy, one of Goa’s premier music institutions, where he studied for eight years and completed Sangeet Kushal with distinction. He then secured Sangeet Parangat with distinction under the able guidance of Pandit Kamlakar Naik of the Agra Gharana and continued advanced training with him for another ten years. This long period of learning was rooted in the traditional Guru-Shishya Parampara, shaping both discipline and depth.

He later received further training from the eminent vocalist of the Agra and Jaipur gharanas, the late Pandit Prabhudev Sardar, a senior disciple of Pandit Nivruttibua Sarnaik and Pandit Jagannathbua Purohit. At present, Pravin continues to refine his art under the guidance of Padmashree Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty and Pandit Satyasheel Deshpande. He has also benefited from light music training with the renowned playback singer Pandit Suresh Wadkar.

Blessed with a mellifluous voice, Pravin combines aesthetic sense with creative thought. His raga exposition is marked by purity, while his taans reflect speed, clarity, and structure. He has a strong command over rhythm, swaras, and sur. Alongside classical music, he is equally comfortable in semi-classical forms such as thumri, dadra, abhang, natya sangeet, and bhaav sangeet, making his performances rich and engaging.

Pravin Gaonkar is a B-High graded artist of All India Radio. He received the Best “Sangeet Nat” award for his role as Amir Khan in the Marathi play Sangeet Hey Bandh Reshamache. His concert journey includes performances at Surashree Kesarbai Sangeet Samaroh, Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Sangeet Sammelan, Karnataka Kala Kendra in Bangalore, Sangeet Natak Academy in Lucknow, and the Ustaad Abdul Karim Khan Memorial Concert in Miraj, among others.

Beyond performance, he plays an active role in cultural life in Goa as the leader of the Swastik Cultural Association, through which he organizes and promotes classical music events.