Pandit Rajan and Sajan Mishra: Masters of the Khyal

Two brothers, both accountants in a small shop in India, once gave a musical performance in presence of Satguru Jagjit Singh. The Satguru, realising their musical talent, motivated them to come to the music platform and offered to pay double their wages in exchange for them to put in more time to practice their vocals.

That duo is Rajan and Sajan Mishra, khyal style singers of the Indian classical music. Khyal is considered a 300-year old style, belonging to the Banaras gharana. Mishra brothers, who began their careers in their teens, have been performing their art of singing all across the India as well as the world.

They have launched around 20 music albums of khyal, semi-classical tappa and variety of bhajans.

Rajan Mishra was born in the year 1951 and Sajan Mishra was born in the 1956 in Varanasi. Their grandfather, Bade Ram Das ji Mishra and father Hanuman Prasad Mishra, taught them classical music. Their uncle, Gopal Prasad Mishra was a renowned sarangi-nawaz.

In recognition to their musical contributions, the duo has received many awards and honours, including the Padma Bhushan in 2007, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1998, the Gandharwa National Award for 1994-1995 and the esteemed National Tansen Samman for 2011-12.

The pandit duo will be performing in their third successive Bengal Classical Music Festival, when they wrap up tonight's (November 28) performances at Army Stadium in Dhaka.