S. Ballesh

Pandit S. Ballesh (born Ballappa Sanna Bharamappa Bhajantri on 1 April 1958) is an Indian shehnai player.

He is also a Patiala gharana Hindustani vocalist and expert in Benares gharana shehnai playing and ghazal singer.

Ballesh trained under the shehnai virtuoso Ustad Bismillah Khan.He is a member of the Panchakshara Gavai brotherhood. He has performed in classical concerts, in jugalbandis (duets), and in film music.

Ballesh was born to Shehnai Samrat Pandit Sanna Bharamanna and Smt. Yellamma in M.K.Hubli, Belgaum district, Karnataka. His all fore-generation family members were shehnai players in the district and Ballesh has traced his lineage to court musicians for advanced training.

He started learning from his father and strengthened his musical roots, later he continued from his (uncle) father's elder brother Pandit Dodda Bharamanna and with stalwarts such as Dr. D.P. Hiremath (Kirana gharana), Pt. Puttaraj Gawai (Gwalior gharana) and Kodhanda Singh Salunke and Prakash Singh Salunke (Patiala gharana), besides the Ustad Bismillah Khan shehnai in (Benares gharana). He is playing often for AIR Dharwar and Doordarshan.

In 2006 Ballesh and his son Krishna Balleshplayed a musical tribute to Krishna Hangal, daughter of Gangubai Hangal, at the presentation award ceremony for the first Krishna Hangal Memorial Award of the Hangal Music Foundation at the Sawai Gandharva Hall in Hubli.

In 2013 he was in the touring orchestra of the film music composer Ilaiyaraaja, and performed in Toronto, Canada.

Ballesh played shehnai for the Hindi movie Raanjhanaa, with music by Oscar winner A.R. Rahman. He also played shehnai for the song "The Dichotomy of Fame" in Imtiaz Ali's 2011 Hindi film Rockstar, with music by A.R. Rahman.

Awards

• " Karnataka Kalashri " Karnataka State Government Award for his contribution to Indian classical music by Karnataka Sangeeta Nritya Academy- 2019
• In 2011 he was honoured by Dr. M.G.R. University, Maduravoyal, during the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the birth of Rabindranath Tagore.
• Radio Mirchi Jury award
• Surmani award in 1970
• Shehnai Samrat
• Shehnai Ratna
• Sangeet Ratna
• Sanaadi Appanna Kalashree Puraskar
• Shehnai Chakravarthy
• Bhimsen Samman International Award.- Gadag 2017
• Kannada Rajyotsava award 2018, Kannada Sangha, Chennai
• Excellence in Music Award, Zee Tamil in 2019,

Recognitions

Ballesh had honorary doctorates from

• The International Tamil University United States, Maryland, 2017

Ballesh can play various style’s in his shehnai, aalaapi and aakaar like khayal singing, jhala like sitar and sarod, tatkar like kathak-dancers, meend & harquatts like sarangi and violin, continuity of tone like been and also he adds sweetness of bansuri to all this.

In 2015, Ballesh performed at the 140th Baba Harballabh Sangeet Sammelanthat commenced at Shri Devi Talab Mandir, Jalandhar.

In 2016, Ballesh and his son Krishna were invited by Executive President of the Arya Sangeet Prasarak Mandal Pt Shrinivas Joshi to perform for the 100th birthday anniversary of their guru Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khanin prestigious music festival the 64th “Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav”in pune founded by Bharat RatnaPandit Bhimsen Joshi .