Mahesh Kale

Mahesh Kale won the 63rd National Film Award as the Best Playback Singer, for the song Aruni Kirani in the film Katyar Kaljat Ghusli.

He is a disciple of Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki.

Mahesh Kale (Marathi: महेश काळे; born 12 January 1976) is an Indian Classical vocalist renowned for his specialization in Indian Classical (Hindustani), Semi-Classical, Devotional music including Natya Sangeet.

Despite his young age, Mahesh was chosen as the disciple of legendary Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki in 1991.

Under his tutelage in a gurukul-like setting, Mahesh was extensively trained in classical and semi-classical forms like thumri, dadra, tappa, bhajans, and marathi natya sangeet for over 8 years.

During that time, he accompanied his guru Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki as a vocal support in concerts all across India and also received vocal guidance from Shri Shounak Abhisheki (son of Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki).

Mahesh holds a Bachelors in Electronics Engineering from Vishwakarma Institute of Technology affiliated to Savitribai Phule Pune University (India) and a master's degree in Engineering Management from Santa Clara University (United States).

Mahesh is married to Purva Gujar-Kale (m. 2005) and they run non-profit Indian Classical Music and Arts Foundation together in San Francisco Bay Area.

Mahesh has performed in hundreds of concerts of Indian Classical and Semi-Classical Vocal in India, US, UAE, UK, Australia, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

Since early 2010, Mahesh has been playing the central character in Katyar Kaljat Ghusli, the evergreen Sangeet Natak (musical).

Mahesh debuted at the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival (Pune) in 2011 which received generous appreciation.

He has performed in Indian Classical as well as fusion concerts with world-famous percussionists like Ustad Zakir Hussain, Sivamani and Trilok Gurtu, and instrumentalists like Pedro Eustache and Frank Martin and in Jazz concerts with well known composer and saxophonist George Brooks and groove-master bassist Kai Eckhardt.

He has also voiced the songs sung by the character of "Sadashiv" (portrayed by Subodh Bhave) in the movie Katyar Kaljat Ghusali which released on 12 November 2015 and received National Film Award for Best Playback Singer (Male) 2015.

He is also a popular judge on the TV show Sur Nava Dhyas Nava on Colors Marathi TV channel which scouts for the singing talent in Maharashtra.

The 100th show of Katyar Kaljat Ghusali was performed in Vasantotsav 2016 at Pune recently.

He was ranked nineteenth in The Times of India 's Top 20 Most Desirable Men of Maharashtra in 2017.

Mahesh was born and raised in a musical family in Pune, Maharashtra, India.

He began his early music education under the guidance of his mother Smt.

Meenal Kale.

She had a Masters Degree in Indian Classical Music and was a disciple of Veena Sahasrabuddhe.

Mahesh gave his first solo performance at the age of 3 at Gondavale, with the rendition of a devotional song he mesmerized an audience of over 5000.

At the age of 6, he started learning music formally from his mother Smt.

Meenal Kale.

Later he learned from Shri Purushottam Gangurde.

Mahesh has also performed at non-traditional avenues like the NH7 Weekender, Pune (2018), 26/11 Stories of Strength tribute concert at the Gateway of India (2018, 2019).

He has given lecture-demonstrations in various US universities including Stanford and Harvard University and at institutions like Commonwealth Club and INKTalks.

Currently Mahesh is teaching music actively to over 100 students in the San Francisco Bay Area.