Hariprasad Chaurasia (b. 1st July 1938) is known internationally as the greatest living master of the bansuri, the North Indian bamboo flute. Chaurasia is among the small but growing number of classicists who have made a conscious effort to reach out and expand the audience for classical music. He is probably the most accessible Hindustani musician, and has done much to popularise the bansuri and classical music. ...show more

Hariprasad Chaurasia (b. 1st July 1938) is known internationally as the greatest living master of the bansuri, the North Indian bamboo flute. Chaurasia is among the small but growing number of classicists who have made a conscious effort to reach out and expand the audience for classical music. He is probably the most accessible Hindustani musician, and has done much to popularise the bansuri and classical music.

Hariprasad Chaurasia was born into a non musical family in Allahabad. His father was a wrestler. His mother died when he was very young. Hariprasad had to learn music almost in secret, scared of the father who wanted him to become a wrestler.

First he started learning vocal music from Pt. Rajaram at the age of 15. Later, he switched to playing the flute under the tutelage of Pt. Bholanath of Varanasi. ...show less