Sukhada Munde

Sukhad Munde was born into a musical family as the son of renowned pakhawaj maestro Manik Munde. Initiated into percussion at the age of six, he received rigorous training in the guru–shishya parampara under his father’s guidance. His foundational training included both pakhawaj and tabla.

He has drawn inspiration and guidance from senior gurus, including Bhakt Ganesh Anna Choudhary, Pt. Satishchandra Choudhary and Prof. Govindrao Deshmukh. In addition to rhythmic training, he received swar-gyan (melodic insight) from noted Dhrupad vocalist Uday Bhawalkar, strengthening his understanding of the Dhrupad tradition in which the pakhawaj holds a central role.

Sukhad Munde’s training reflects immersion in hereditary percussion traditions associated with pakhawaj performance. His early discipline under Pt. Manik Munde established his grounding in traditional repertoire, tonal clarity, and layakari (rhythmic improvisation). His exposure to Dhrupad aesthetics through Uday Bhawalkar further informed his sensitivity as an accompanist.

Sukhad Munde performs as both a soloist and accompanist. His concert formats include:

• Solo pakhawaj recitals
• Jugalbandi performances
• Tal-vadya kacheris
• Dhrupad accompaniment

He has shared the stage with leading artists, including

• Jasraj
• Rattan Mohan Sharma
• Bahauddin Dagar
• Gundecha Brothers (Ramakant Gundecha, Umakant Gundecha)
• Ronu Majumdar

His accompaniment work is noted for rhythmic precision and responsiveness within the Dhrupad framework.

Sukhad Munde has appeared at the Darbar Festival in multiple editions.

• Darbar Festival 2013: Participated in a cross-cultural percussion ensemble that explored rhythmic dialogue between Indian and Western traditions, integrating pakhawaj with instruments such as drum kit and mridangam.
• Darbar Festival 2018: Accompanied Wasifuddin Dagar at the Barbican Centre, presenting a Dhrupad recital marked by meditative depth and structured rhythmic support.

Sukhad Munde’s work bridges traditional pakhawaj performance and contemporary collaborative contexts. Rooted in hereditary training and Dhrupad aesthetics, his career includes solo recitals, accompaniment to senior vocalists and instrumentalists, and intercultural ensemble projects.