Vasantosav Festival Curator & Indian violinist
Rajas Upadhye
Early Life and Training
Rajas Upadhye is an acclaimed violinist from the Pt. Bhaskarbua Bakhale Gharana, trained under his father and guru, Pt. Atulkumar Upadhye. Born into a lineage of distinguished violinists dating back to his grandfather, Pt. Balkrishna Upadhye, Rajas combines tradition with innovative artistry, drawing influences from Pt. Gajananbua Joshi and Pt. Shridhar Parsekar.
Apart from being an excellent musician himself, Rajas is also widely known across India in the classical music industry for curating some of the best music festivals. Starting with Swarazankar, Rajas now custom curates festivals for other established musicians for their personal banners too. Infact, an invitation to perform at Swarazankar was what brought Rahul Deshpande in direct association with Rajas Upadhye. An association they have keenly taken forward with Rajas now curating festivals, shows and new initiatives for the Vasantotsav brand as well.
Highlights & Contributions
- Key contributor to Vasantotsav — involved in its curation, planning, and execution, helping shape it into one of India’s most respected music festivals..
- Festival leadership — actively associated with major cultural events such as Pandit Atulkumar Upadhye’s Swarazankar and Pandit Vijay Ghate’s Taal Chakra among a lot more prominent such artists as festivals.
- National & International performer — concerts across India and abroad, including tours in England, Germany, and Switzerland.
- Decorated artist — recipient of the National Scholarship of CCRT, All India Radio National Award (2015–16), Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar by Academy of Music Chennai, and Violinist of the Year 2015 by Gaanvardhan.
- Early prodigy — began learning violin at age 7, winning the Interschool Instrumentalist of the Year title three years in a row, followed by awards for solo, composition, and fusion performances in college.
- Collaborative excellence — known for duets with his brother Tejas Upadhye, showcasing impeccable coordination and musical depth.
Rajas Upadhye is an acclaimed violinist from the Pt. Bhaskarbua Bakhale Gharana, trained under his father and guru, Pt. Atulkumar Upadhye. Born into a lineage of distinguished violinists dating back to his grandfather, Pt. Balkrishna Upadhye, Rajas combines tradition with innovative artistry, drawing influences from Pt. Gajananbua Joshi and Pt. Shridhar Parsekar.
