Nagaraja Rao Havaldar

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Dr.Nagaraja Rao Havaldar ನಾಗರಾಜ ರಾವ್ ಹವಲ್ದಾರ್
Dr.Nagaraja Rao Havaldar
Background information
Birth name	Nagaraja Rao Havaldar
Born	July 17, 1959(1959-07-17)
Origin	Hosapete, Karnataka
Genre(s)	Hindustani Classical Music - Khayal and light forms
Occupation(s)	Hindustani Classical Vocalist
Years active	1981 – present
Label(s)	??
Website	http://www.pandithavaldar.com

Dr. Nagaraja Rao Havaldar (Kannada: ನಾಗರಾಜ ರಾವ್ ಹವಲ್ದಾರ್ (b. 1959) is a Hindustani Classical vocalist hailing from Karnataka, India.

Dr. Havaldar is a disciple Pandit Madhava Gudi, himself a prime disciple of the Kirana scion Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. He is also a disciple of Pandit Panchakshari Swami Mattigatti, a senior disciple of Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur, imbibing the niceties and peculiarities of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana.

During his study for "Sangeetha Ratna", a six year degree course Hindustani Classical Music from Karnataka University, Dharwad, Karnataka, he studied under the legendary Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur (the Head of the Department of Music), and luminaries like Panchakshari Swami Mattigatti, Pandit Basavaraj Rajaguru (Kirana), Pandit Sangameshwar Gurav (Kirana) and Dr. B.D. Pathak who were faculty members.

He has performed all over India, and has toured the U.S. and the UK extensively. While his style reflects his extensive training from Kirana masters, he is equally at ease with the Jaipur-Atrauli specialities such as Basanti Kedar, Basanti Kanada and Nat Malhar. He has pioneered to popularize the Kannada Khayal by adapting Vachanas, literary works of Haridasas and suitable contemporary poetry in Kannada to the traditional khayal form.

A gold medalist in M.A. (History and Archeology), he holds a Doctorate in Music from Karnataka University, his doctorate thesis being "The History of Classical Music in Karnataka". He holds with distinction, "Sangeetha Ratna", a degree in Hindustani Classical Music from Karnataka University.

He has worked at the Music Archives, All India Radio, Hubli, as a Programme Executive (1988-1991). He was also the chairman of Textbook Committee for Hindustani Music, for The Directorate of Textbooks, Karnataka.