The making of a musician

Behala Sanskriti Sammilani organised its 14^th Behala Music Festival, spread over four evenings between 11-14 January 2026. It catered to all types of listeners of classical soirees by featuring celebrated artists like vocalist Ajoy Chakrabarty, sitarist Purbayan Chatterjee and violinist Ambi Subramanyam, and quite a few fairly well-known musicians such as Kedia Brothers, Shubhendra Rao (sitar), U Rajesh, Partho Sarothy (sarod), Shashwati Mandal (vocal), Rahul Sharma (santoor), comparatively unfamiliar but delightfully matured performers like sarodist Abhishek Borkar, and young aspirants like Tejaswini Vernekar (vocal), Suryadipta Bhattacharya (slide guitar) and several others who are striving hard to make it big.

Most of the tabla accompanists, such as young Ishaan Ghosh, Ojas Adhiya, Aarchik Banerjee and Yashwant Vaishnav, harmonium wizard Jyotirmay Banerjee and sarangi exponent Sangeet Mishra proved to be as matured as their veteran counterparts like Shubhen Chatterjee, Vinod Lele, Ashoke Mukherjee, Sanjay Adhikary in tabla and Jyoti Goho (harmonium) and Sarwar Hussain (sarangi). 

Amid this milieu was vocalist Supriyo Dutta—tall, articulate, and well-versed in contemporary musical culture, yet without any trace of false modesty. He drew attention first for his jawari-laden baritone, and then for the confident projection of his voice, which resonated with a quiet serenity in his delineation of raga Shuddh Kalyan. The Chandrakauns tarana carried power, while the bhajan conveyed a sense of surrender despite the time constraint. His sense of what to present, when, and why was impeccable. His thoughtfully edited recital reflected every anga of the introspective Indore–Kirana gayaki, enriched by touches of the more expansive Agra style and its open aakar.

A good communicator, he established a heartwarming rapport with his listeners. His positive and cheerful stage presence was contagious and inspired his talented accompanists – Aarchik Banerjee (tabla), Sangeet Mishra (sarangi), Jyotirmoy Banerjee (harmonium) and his two disciples, Debarshi Das and Sudarshan Khatua on the tanpura and vocal support, to give their best without crossing their comfort zone. Their camaraderie and compact presentation spoke high of Dutta’s leadership qualities and his adaptability with changing times which prefers dramatic showmanship to subtle emotional appeal.

In conversation with Supriyo Dutta

During a conversation after the recital, he shared, “I don’t come from a family of musicians, but I grew up listening to classical music on the radio, on records, and at live concerts. As is common in Bengal, my younger brother and I were sent to music classes after school. We disliked it, but there was no escaping it.

Then one day I heard Ustad Amir Khan, and soon after, a young Ustad Rashid Khan. It was a revelation. I realised how deeply music could move and captivate. I was a teenager then—defiant, passionate, and fortunately, very focused.

Against my mother’s wishes, I decided to become a musician. In our service-class family, it was almost blasphemous! And believe me, I have been navigating difficult terrain ever since—but with an unending passion and love for everything connected with music.”

Indore Kirana and Agra gharanas are stylistically very different.What prompted you to bring together such contrasting styles?

Well, it’s not intentional, it had to happen! After the sad demise of my guru Ramakrishna Basu, a disciple of Ustad Amir Khan, I was shattered. A well-wisher guided me to erudite Agra gharana exponent vidushi Subhra Guha. When I met Pt Vijay Kichlu, my guruma’s mentor, we clicked instantaneously. It was he who polished my aakar, infused some fine nuances of Agra without tampering with my Indore-Kirana sensibility.
Unfortunately, he too left for his eternal home but not before introducing me to eminent musicologist, sitar maestro Arvind Parikh ji, whose Vilayatkhani style is almost an instrumental version of Kirana-Indore. I am lucky to have his blessings and analytical guidance which has opened a new vista for me. Apart from this, I weigh every well-wisher’s suggestions and try to apply them in my repertoire. For me, learning has no boundaries.

You seem to be more active in Europe and America even as your presence in India grows. Could you tell us about your work and achievements abroad as a performer and a trainer?

I remain deeply engaged with the Indian music scene, though my commitments take me abroad for nearly six months each year. Talent may open doors, but it is effort and resilience that sustain the journey through rejection, criticism, and difficult phases. I make it a point to nurture my connections with warmth. Understanding the emotional world of my students and listeners has helped me translate their responses into music, and they have grown and progressed well. I have been able to apply the same approach successfully overseas too. My young daughter, Devatmayi, has also played a role in this journey as a living inspiration. I am happy to share that I became the first Indian to present a Devi-stuti–based khayal and a Ram bhajan before the Pope in Italy.

After your audiovisual tribute for Vijay Kichlu’s 90th birthday and your work on Aadeeshwar, what keeps you from pursuing such music-led visual projects as a parallel career?

I could, but my first love is music. Moreover, though I casually picked up the tricks of the trade from Samrat, my younger brother, who is a successful engineer, I always believed in the best quality. Bengal is eons behind Mumbai. There is no proper infrastructure or money in education-based non-commercial film-making here. ‘Work free - for the love of it’ cannot apply for everyone in every field.

How are you able to continue supporting and training students from economically weaker backgrounds so generously?

“That is a different matter,” he said with a smile. “I do receive my guru-dakshina. Some pay for my time, while others repay me through their talent, their love, gratitude, and the results they bring. I encourage my students to balance their professions with music. Many of them are doing this successfully, pursuing their art with dedication while also taking care of their family responsibilities. The satisfaction I get from this is beyond words. I believe that success in music is not just about talent. It comes from discipline, a strong grounding in both theory and practice, consistency, and a genuine passion for the art without chasing trends. One must have the courage to take creative risks and the humility to keep learning, no matter how much one achieves.

One could only acknowledge the conviction of this socially conscious, multi-faceted musician. It was clear that his growth rests not just on talent, but on discipline, consistency, a strong grounding in theory and practice, a willingness to learn, and the courage to stay true to his musical path—one he pursues with quiet commitment.