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A legendary Indian flautist and counted among the greatest masters of the north Indian bamboo flute, Hariprasad Chaurasia is a Padma Shree and a Padma Vibushan recipient. Unlike many Indian musicians who were born in muscial families, Hariprasad Chaurasia was the son of a wrestler. He had to rebel against his father and he secretly began learning classical vocal music at the age of 15 from his neighbor. Upon meeting the famous flautist Pandit Bholanath Prasanna of Varanasi, he was deeply influenced by his music and began learning to play the flute under his guidance.

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A renowned santoor player, Sharma is single handedly responsible for making the instrument a popular in classical music. Recipient of the Padma Shree and Padma Vibhushan awards, he has also won accolades around the world. He is one of those rare musicians who have also been able to make a mark in the world of popular film music. His compositions for blockbusters such as Silsila and Chandni are a manifestation of his musical brilliance.