R. C. Mehta

Ramanlal C. Mehta (October 31, 1918 – October 18, 2014) was a musician and musicologist from India.

Life

Ramanlal was born on October 31, 1918 at Surat in the state of Gujarat. He retired in 1978, from the MS University of Baroda, after serving as Principal of the College of Indian Music, Dance & Dramatics / Faculty of Performing Arts ), for several years. He died after a fall in 2014 at the age of 95.[1]

Musical career

He was trained in Hindustani classical vocal music by Kanchalal Manawala and later followed the Kirana style of Ustad Abdul Waheed Khan. He was with All India Radio for 9 years ( 1945–1953 ) prior to his taking up principal-ship of the Baroda Music College. A distinguished vocalist of the Kirana Gharana Style, he has developed his own style in Khyal and Thumri, and given several vocal concerts of Hindustani Classical Music in music circles, music conferences and over All India Radio. He composed and produced above fifty musical dramas and features over A.I.R., Bombay, Ahmedabad and Baroda (1945–1953).

A purist by training, he is a modernist by outlook, appreciating all schools and synthesis thereof.

Academic

As an academician he has served the cause of music education in India for over 45 years. He has served as Expert member on national as well as State Institutions and Universities. Musicians & academician, author and editor of several books in Indian Music, Prof. Mehta founded in 1970, the Indian Musicological Society and continues to serve the society has honorary General Secretary.[2] He has served as Editor of the Journal of the Indian Musicological Society, since its inception, in 1970, retiring in 2005. He has served as an expert member on the Central Music Audition Board ( MAB ) of All India Radio. Padmabhushan Prof. R. C. Mehta has always been associated with innovations in field of music. On his suggestion, the first ever conference on distance education in Indian Classical Music was organized by Ustad Alauddin Khan Sangeet Academy. He published a collection of papers presented s Distance Education in Music. Almost all significant conferences, seminars, workshops have benefited by his presence. He travels only when necessary these days, but assists organizers, scholars, students over phone and through e-mail.[2]

Author and critic

He has written and published extensively on various aspects of music. His publications include :

Mehta has published several research papers in scholarly journals.

He has published, under his editorship, some twenty two books, all devoted to research aspects of music. These include:[2]

Awards and honors

Prof. Mehta is the recipient of many awards, which include :

Present

He is busy with several projects; almost all resulting in a book. Eminent Musicians of Yester Years is a book remembering some hundreds of our musicians who enriched Hindustani Music, several of them now forgotten, some still living and continuing the legacy. Preface to this book can be viewed on omenad as also of his latest book Indian Classical Music and Gharana Traditions

References

  1. ↑ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Vadodara/Professor-Ramanlal-Mehta-dies-at-96/articleshow/44877947.cms
  2. 1 2 3 "Introducing The Indian Musicological Society, Bombay & Baroda". DoveSong. RisingWorld Entertainment. 2010. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  3. ↑ http://www.sangeetnatak.com/sna/fellowslist.htm
  4. ↑ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
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