Manik Varma Biography 
Manik Varma is a doyen of Hindustani classical music, belonging to Kirana Gharana. She is identified by music lovers by the beautiful composition - Amrutahuni Goad. She is equally verse in light music and semi-classic genres of music including Thumri, Bhavgeet, Bhajan and Marathi Natya Sangeet. She was a noted disciple of Hirabai Barodekar of kirana Gharana of Hindustani music. She was a part of popular weekly music show on AIR, Geet Ramayan where she performed aside Lata Mangeshkar, Sudhir Phadke and many more great names of music. She is regarded as one of the finest jewels in the crown of Hindustani classical and light music.
She was born as Manik Dadarkar on 16 May 1926. Her parents were Hirabai Dadarkar and Balwant Dadarkar. Since childhood she was fascinated with music and musical interests were identified by her mother. With great efforts and sacrifices, Hirabai supported her daughter the best way and dreamt to give a good musical career to Manik. Manik acquired her initial training in music from Bhope Guruji at Bharatiya Gayan Samaj, Pune. She later learnt under Sureshbabu Mane, Ustad Inayat Khan, Bholanath Bhatt and Pandit Jagannathbuva Purohit. Yet she considers Hirabai Barodekar as her real idol. Manik made her first public performance at the age of 13.
Apart from classical music, she excelled in Marathi Bhavgeet, Bhaktigeet and Natyageet, thus gaining the love of Marathi music lovers. "Tya Chitta Choratyala", "Savalach Rang Tuzha", "Wajavi Pava Govind", "Hasale Mani Chandane", "Amrutahuni Goad", "Kaushalyecha Ram Bai", "Maal Padak Vitthal", "Jani Namyachi" and "Ghana Nila Ladivala" among her most popular songs. Sangeet Natak Academy Purskar, "Maharastra Gaurav", “Lata Mangeshkar Puraskar" and "Padma Shri" are the major honours received by her.
Published: N/A
Updated: June 16, 2014
