Sanjeev Chimmalgi

Sanjeev Chimmalgi is a prominent Indian classical singer, composer, and performer known for his contribution to Hindustani classical music. He was born on 29 July 1972 in Dharwad, although he was brought up in Mumbai. He comes from a musically inclined family—his grandfather, known as Chimmalgi Master, was a respected tabla player, which greatly influenced his early interest in music. 

Sanjeev Chimmalgi is mainly known as a Hindustani classical vocalist, particularly for singing in the khayal style, which is one of the most important forms of North Indian classical music. His music reflects a deep understanding of ragas, voice culture, and traditional compositions. 

He began his formal musical training under Pandit Madhava Gudi, and later became a disciple of the renowned vocalist C. R. Vyas. Under Vyas’s guidance, he developed a strong and refined style that combines multiple gharana influences. His singing shows elements of the Kirana gharana (known for voice culture and swara purity), as well as the Gwalior and Agra gharanas (known for bandish-oriented and powerful styles). 

Apart from Hindustani classical music, Chimmalgi has also explored other musical traditions. He received training in Carnatic music under T. R. Balamani and Balachandran, and also learned konnakol (a form of rhythmic vocal percussion) from mridangam expert T. S. Nandakumar. This diverse training has made his musical style unique and versatile. 

Interestingly, before fully dedicating himself to music, he trained as a computer engineer. However, his passion for music led him to pursue it as a full-time career. Over the years, he has performed at many prestigious music concerts and festivals across cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Indore, Kolkata, Miraj, and Nagpur. 

In addition to classical performances, he has also worked as a composer and playback singer. He has contributed to films like Baahubali 2, Hindi Medium, and Running Shaadi. He has also released albums such as Quest (2003) and Remembering Gunijaan (2008), which is a tribute to his guru C. R. Vyas. 

Sanjeev Chimmalgi has received several awards and recognitions during his career. He won the Best Male Playback Singer award (2007) for a Marathi film and also received a National Scholarship from the Government of India (1995–1998). He was also the winner of the All India Radio youth competition in 1993. 

Overall, Sanjeev Chimmalgi is regarded as a talented and versatile classical musician who successfully blends tradition with innovation. His dedication to music and strong grounding in multiple gharanas have made him an important figure in modern Hindustani classical music.