Bandish Music Festival Returns For 15th Year To Honour The Composers Who Composed India, RD Burman, Jitendra Abhisheki, Muthusvami Dikshitar And Others
This year’s edition places the spotlight squarely on the artists and the composers they represent, from Hindustani greats to Carnatic legends and Bollywood icons.
Published : July 23, 2025 at 10:14 AM IST
The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, has announced the 15th edition of its annual Indian classical music festival, Bandish: A Tribute to Legendary Composers, to be held from August 1 to 3, 2025. Supported by HSBC India, the three-day celebration will bring together some of the most respected names in Indian music to honour the timeless legacies of master composers through powerful performances and rich traditions. This year’s edition places the spotlight squarely on the artists and the composers they represent, from Hindustani greats to Carnatic legends and Bollywood icons.
A Celebration of Musical Lineage
Day 1 (August 1) opens with a special performance themed around the Guru-Shishya Parampara, featuring disciples mentored under the NCPA-HSBC initiative, showcasing India’s treasured oral traditions.
This will be followed by a double bill:
Shounak Abhisheki and Devaki Pandit come together to present the evocative compositions of Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki, ranging across khayal, dadra, bhajan, and natyageet.
Sajan Mishra and Swaransh Mishra, stalwarts of the Banaras gharana, will pay homage to Bade Ramdas, Chhote Ramdas, and Nanak Prasad Mishra.
Day 2 (August 2) features an exclusive solo recital by TM Krishna, one of India’s most critically acclaimed Carnatic vocalists. His performance will focus on the compositions of Muthusvami Dikshitar, marking the composer’s 250th birth anniversary. Expect renditions of kirtanas, ragamalikas, and nottusvara sahityas, underscoring Dikshitar’s vast repertoire and global sensibility.
Day 3 (August 3) promises a grand finale with a Bollywood twist. Music director and vocalist Jolly Mukherjee curates a tribute to the legendary RD Burman, featuring beloved classics and live orchestration. The evening will feature Shailendra Singh (special appearance) and Alok Katdare, Shrikant Narayan, Vibhavari Apte Joshi, and Mahalaxmi Iyer, backed by a 30-member musical ensemble. The evening will be hosted by radio and stage personality Yunus Khan.
The 2025 edition of Bandish also marks a decade of HSBC India’s partnership with NCPA, which has helped nurture Indian music through performance, mentorship, and education. From presenting nearly 150 artistes and accompanists to over 8,000 attendees, to supporting initiatives like ‘Support to Guru-Shishya Tradition’, ‘Guru in Residence’, and ‘Promising Artistes Series’, the partnership has extended beyond concerts.
Workshops, Legacy, and the Music of the Future
Over the last ten years, the collaboration has also supported 22 workshops, hosted 4,491 physical attendees, and garnered over 34,000 online views—proving the growing appetite for deeper, more mindful engagement with Indian classical music. The Promising Artistes Series, another initiative born from this partnership, has helped several emerging performers rise through the ranks. Many of them are disciples from the Guru-Shishya program, closing the loop between tradition and the contemporary stage.
When: August 1–3, 2025
Where: NCPA, Nariman Point, Mumbai
