Some stories begin with a single note. For Pt Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, who comes from a family of musicians, it was an instrument that stays with him throughout. This musical journey found its way to Hyderabad as the Padma Shri-winning sarod maestro performed at Varshotsav-5, organised by the Dhruvpad Gurukulam Foundation at the auditorium of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. In an exclusive interview with CE, the sarod maestro speaks about the instrument that captured his heart, gurus who shaped his journey and his hopes for the future of classical music.
An instrument meant for him
Music was less a career choice than a family inheritance for Pt Tejendra. “Every child born into our family was introduced to vocal music and tabla first. My father was a sitar player, but my uncle played the sarod, and that is how I fell in love with the instrument at the age of four. My grandfather taught me the mandolin, but I couldn’t play Hindustani classical music on it. After growing up, I switched to the sarod. I started learning under the influence of our family tradition, but gradually, I began falling in love with it. The more I practised, the more attached I became to the instrument,” he shares. For him Hyderabad continues to hold a special place in his heart, as he recalls, “I have performed here many times, and the city’s rich cultural heritage makes every visit special.”
His early years were shaped by three gurus. He began training under Ustaad Bahadur Khan sahab, a nephew of Ustaad Alauddin Khan. “While he was strict, he also showed me a lot of love. Ustaad Bahadur Khan treated me like his own son. After his untimely demise, I trained under Pt Ajoy Sinha Roy and later under Ustaad Ali Akbar Khan sahab, with whom I spent 17 years learning,” he adds.
The lessons, however, went far beyond music. “We are supposed to learn etiquette as musicians, including how to respect our elders, and all of that was taught to me by Ustaad Bahadur Khan sahab. Ustaad Ali Akbar Khan taught me how to cook chicken and dal. Whenever I tried to offer him something as guru dakshina, he would refuse. He was God to me,” he fondly reminisces.
His first major recognition came at the age of 18, when he secured first place in an All India Radio competition and was honoured by the President of India. “That was when many people came up to my father and assured him that they saw a bright future for me as a sarod player,” he smiles.
His grounding in composition came from his father, who composed music for ballets, dramas and skits and was associated with Uday Shankar. “That gave me the privilege of working with great composers and film directors such as Satyajit Ray, Gautam Ghosh and Salim Chaudhary. Composing will always remain my passion, and I would like to continue creating music, although I mostly perform these days. One of my compositions also received a Grammy nomination in 2011.”
Honours, foundations and composing for film
The Padma Shri, conferred by the Government of India in 2025, remains one of the milestones he cherishes. “It was definitely a very satisfying feeling to be recognised. It always inspires you to work harder and contribute more to the country. A national honour like the Padma Shri makes me immensely happy. I am grateful to the Indian government for it,” says Pt Tejendra.
Beyond the concert stage, he established the Shreeranjani Foundation Trust in memory of his gurus. The organisation promotes Indian classical music and dance through festivals and platforms that provide emerging talent with opportunities to perform across the country.
“We bring together young musicians from across the country and provide them with opportunities to perform in different cities. Kolkata has always been our flagship destination, but we have now expanded to Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Bengaluru. We are also the only organisation to have had Ustaad Zakir Hussain perform on its platform for 11 consecutive years. Over the years, the foundation has helped several emerging musicians evolve into established artistes,” he says.
When asked about whether younger generations are drifting away from classical music, Pt Tejendra remains optimistic. “There is a perception that young people are losing touch with their roots, but my experience suggests otherwise. Many of my disciples and a large section of my audience are young. Seeing them embrace classical music gives me immense happiness. My son, Indrayudh Majumdar, is also an established sarod player, and it is encouraging to see young musicians taking an interest in this art form,” he says.