Malabika Kanan Biography 
Malabika Kanan was a noted Indian classical vocalist from Lucknow, who lived during the period, December 27, 1930 - February 17, 2009. She was the wife of Hindustani vocalist and top grade artist of AIR, A. Kanan. When the ITC Sangeet Research Academy was established in 1978, they joined the Academy as gurus and continued to serve the cause of music till their last breath. She received the ITC Sangeet Research Academy Award in 1995 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1999-2000.
Malabika Kanan was born in Lucknow on 27 December 1930 into a musical family. Her father Rabindralal Roy was a musicologist and a disciple of Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande. She was introduced to the world of music by her father, under whom she trained for many years. During her early years she was trained in dhrupad, dhamar and khyal. Later she got training in Rabindrasangeet from Santidev Ghosh and Suchitra Mitra. She has travelled along with her father in many parts of the country for music performances. She performed at AIR for the first time at the age of 15, and the following year she gave her first music concert at Tansen Sangeet Samaroh. She also gave performances at Radio Sangeet Sammelans, apart from normal music concerts since then.
She married Kanan in 1958, and after that she developed a new style of singing by adopting his Kirana style. She also received training in thumri from her husband. Apart from thumri, she was an expert of bhajans (devotional songs). She worked as a music teacher at ITC Sangeet Research Academy since 1978, and served as a Member of the Expert Committee of the Academy.
Published: September 26, 2018
Updated: September 26, 2018
