Background
Gangubai Hangal was born in Dharwad to Chikkurao Nadiger, an agriculturist and Ambabai, a vocalist of Carnatic music
Gangubai Hangal was born in Dharwad to Chikkurao Nadiger, an agriculturist and Ambabai, a vocalist of Carnatic music
Hangal belonged to the Kirana gharana. Hangal received only elementary education and her family shifted to Hubli in 1928 so that Gangubai could study Hindustani music She began to train formally aged 13 with Krishnacharya Hulgur, a kinnari (stringed instrument like a veena)player, studying Hindustani classical music
From Hulgur, Gangubai learned sixty compositions in one year before he stopped teaching her after an argument about his fees.
She also learned from Dattopant Desai before studying under Sawai Gandharva, a respected guru. Hangal could only study sporadically under Gandharva when he returned to his home, but she received an intensive training of three years after he relocated permanently to Hubli.
Hangal"s mother"s family was considered to be of low social status and for women of her generation singing was not considered appropriate employment. Hangal struggled against this prejudice and made a career.
She performed all over India and for All India Radio stations until 1945.
Hangal had initially performed light classical genres, including bhajan and thumri, but concentrated on khyal. Later, however, she refused to sing light classical, saying she sang only ragas. Hangal served as honorary music professor of the Karnatak University.
She gave her last concert in March 2006 to mark her 75th career year.
She had overcome bone marrow cancer in 2003, and died of cardiac arrest at the age of 96, on 21 July 2009, in Hubli, where she resided. She had her eyes donated to increase awareness for organ donation.
Gangubai Hangal received a number of awards, which include: Karnataka Sangeet Nritya Academy Award, 1962 Padma Bhushan, 1971 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, 1973 Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, 1996 Padma Vibhushan, 2002 The Karnataka state government declared two days of mourning for Hangal. A state funeral was announced for 22 July in Hubli by the district commissioner of the Dharwad district. In 2008, The State Government of Karnataka decided to name the proposed Karnataka State Music University after Gangubhai Hangal. Subsequently Karnataka State Doctor Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University Acting, 2009 has been passed by the State Legislature. Presently the Karnataka State Gangubhai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University operates from Mysore, Karnataka. Gangothri - the birth place of Gangubai Hangal - has been converted into a museum by the Government of Karnataka. Doctor Gangubai Hangal Gurukul in Hubli trains artists in traditional Guru-Shishya parampara to become performing artists.
