Ashok Ranade Biography 
Ashok Ranade was a scholar musician and ethnomusicologist from Pune. He was a trained vocalist in Hindustani Art music, and also a composer. He was a pioneer of Cultural Musicology in India, known for his significant contributions in the 20th and 21st century, in post-independent India. His full name is Ashok Damodar Ranade, and he is also known as Ashok Da. Ranade, and he lived during the period, 25 November 1937 – 30 July 2011. He has also published more than 25 books related to Indian music. He was a recipient of many honours including Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2010, Narhar Kurundkar Puraskar in 2009, Government of Maharashtra Award for Kaladan in 2007 and many more.
He trained in Hindustani music for 10 years under Gajananrao Joshi of Gwalior, Jaipur and Agra Gharana during 1948–58, and also studied music under different gurus. He completed law studies in 1960s, and also completed post-graduation in English and Marathi languages. He was the founder Director of the University Music Centre, Mumbai. He also worked in the ethnomusicology centre of the American Institute of Indian Studies and also in theatre research and ethnomusicology at the National Council for Performing Arts. He has also served as the Deputy Director at National Center for the Performing Arts from 1984 to 93.
He was deeply interested in the varied street-music of India, which he called 'authentic urban folk-music. He also took great efforts to chronicle and research the same. The doyen of ethnomusicology and composer chronicled all his research works through his publications. He always pleaded for a congenial juxtaposition of traditional Indian music with a non-conditional openness towards fusion with both folk and the western genres. He passed away after prolonged illness in Mumbai in 2011, aged 74.
Published: January 05, 2020
Updated: January 05, 2020
