Prof Sudhir Yardi: Engineering Professor turned Accomplished Hindustani Classical Harmonium Artist

Surat: Prof Sudhir Sureshchandra Yardi is a well-known name in the field of Hindustani classical music. An Engineering college lecturer turned highly acclaimed Hindustani classical harmonium artist, Prof Sudhir Yardi, is equally renowned for his amazing mastery over accompaniment and solo performances across the country and elsewhere around the globe. 

Music journey from the family: Prof Sudhir Yardi's big list of accomplishments in the classical music world may not be a big surprise, going by his musical background as a child in the family. His mother taught him a few school prayers, apart from the basic sa re ga ma pa over the harmonium they had at their home. Then he was around seven years old.

Thanks to his maternal uncle's encouragement: Pt Jayant Bhalodkar, a renowned harmonium artist of the then Baroda, who happened to be his maternal uncle, used to visit their home now and then. During one of his visits, he observed Sudhir playing and learning the harmonium; although, then it was fun for him. Pt Jayant Bhalodkar was impressed and offered to teach him the basics if interested. This way, the formal journey started under the guidance of Sudhir's mother, maternal uncle and father.

Trigger point at the primary school: However, the trigger point was at the primary school. The teachers used to take Sudhir and other kids to sing the prayers, while another boy used to play the prayer on the harmonium. Sudhir was terrifically attracted by the feat, and back home, he informed the same, expressing his desire to learn to play the harmonium. 

Tutelage from maternal Pt Jayant Bhalodkar: This way began the journey of Sudhir Yardi, with Jayant Bhalodkar, his maternal uncle and a disciple of Pt Govindrao Vitthal Patawardhan of Mumbai. Pt Govindrao  Patawardhan was a harmonium and reed organ player and an accompanist musician to legends like Pt Kumara Gandharva, among many others. 

Regular practice started from the eighth year: Having a harmonium at home, practising playing the same was not at all a big issue for the seven-year-old boy, Sudhir. His maternal uncle was in the purchasing department and frequently used to visit places, including Surat and Mumbai, on office work and to give programs. Whenever he visited Surat, he used to stay in his sister's house for two to three days. His frequent visits helped Sudhir to hone his skills on the harmonium instrument. During vacations, Sudhir went to his Mamaji's house in Baroda and had prolonged practice there. This routine went on until the 12th standard.

Audio cassettes and AIR programs: Apart from this routine, Sudhir's maternal uncle also used to keep sending music audio cassettes. He was also advised to listen to the classical music program daily at 10.30 pm, as both his father and mother were also ardent fans of classical music. Gradually, he also developed the practice of listening to various ragas and different musicians, along with his parents. The basic rudiments of playing the harmonium and the intricately intertwined 'samskar' were imbibed in Sudhir at a very young age in life!

Destined to become a musician: Although this went on until the 12th standard, it was altogether a different ball game later. Sudhir got a seat in the Engineering College of the MS University in Baroda. He was staying near his maternal uncle's home, and daily practice there became a routine. Looking back, Prof Sudhir Yardi reminisces, "Maybe I was destined to become a musician".

Mamaji's busy schedule turned into a boon: Sudhir was a regular visitor to his maternal uncle's place every evening and got an opportunity to develop his skill sets. He also paid visits every weekend and on Sundays as well. Pt Jayant Bhalodkar, his maternal uncle, used to be very busy giving several programs for being a top-grade artist in the prime of his musical career, and it was literally impossible for him to perform at all the big and small programs he was invited to in Baroda. As Sudhir also used to accompany his maternal uncle and play harmonium, wherever he performed, the latter started suggesting to the organisers to use Sudhir instead of him, because he was preoccupied. This way, Sudhir's musical career took off, and he turned out to be an accompanying harmonium player for most of the artists in Baroda.

Job in Ahmedabad and in touch with the Saptak group: Once Sudhir completed his graduation and got a job, he moved to Ahmedabad, where he got in touch with the much-renowned "Saptak" musical group and its legendary founders, Pt Nandan Mehta and Pt Manju Mehta. The Saptak School of Music is a premier music institute offering various courses. The 13-day music festival during January is a sought-after event for all lovers of music. 

Approved accompanying AIR artist: Sudhir became an accompanying artist to who's who in the musical world of Ahmedabad. He used to play with them, practise with them and became one of the professional artists. However, he was suggested to become an approved artist of the All India Radio(AIR), to which he heeded and attended the audition test. He became an approved accompanying artist of the AIR.

Back to Baroda and performance: After having some industrial experience in Ahmedabad, Sudhir returned to Baroda for his Master's. There, once again, it was reuniting with the professional artists. By then, he had already started performing stage shows. Earlier, he also performed at his school, township, friends' circle, and the Maharashtra Mandal Ganapati Utsav. Following the stints in Ahmedabad and Baroda, it became a regular practice to keep participating in the concerts from 1994-95 onwards.

Return to Surat: After completing his Master's, Sudhir returned to Surat to join the Sarvajanik College of Engineering and Technology as a junior lecturer. Then, music activities were also picking up, and he got in touch with Sunilbhai Modi, Rishibhai Shastri, Hemant Gandharvji and many others. Incidentally, Rishi Bhai Shastri was also associated with Saptak. 

In touch with all top-grade artists: Whenever artists from Bombay, Pune, and other parts of the country visited Surat, Rishi Bhai Shastri, after listening to his performances, would recommend Sudhir Yardi to play the harmonium. This way, Sudhir Yardi came in touch with all top-grade artists, starting from Pt Arun Kashalkar, Pt Ulhas Kashalkar, Vidushi Veena Sahashrabuddhe, Vidushi Manjuben Mehta, Vidushi Ashwini Bhide, Vidushi Dr Prabha Atre, Pt Balvantrai Bhat and so on and so forth.

Saptak leads to Gujrat Sangeet Natak Academy, Festivals: The Saptak connection took Sudhir Yardi to new heights, and he started playing for the Gujarat Sangeet Natak Academy and a good lot of music festivals like Pt Onkarnath Music Festival, Tana Riri Music Festival, programs in and around Saurashtra, Gujarat. 

Performing with stalwarts of the field: At that time, Sudhir Yardi also got an opportunity to play the harmonium with Padma Bhushan Acharya Dr Goswami Gokulotsavji Maharaj at Rajkot in a concert of the Gujarat Sangeet Natak Academy. A distinguished vocalist, a divine personality considered the equivalent of Shankaracharya in the Vaishnav sect, was very much impressed with the accompaniment of Sudhir Yardi and wholeheartedly blessed him.

Four-hour concert in Navasari: It was on the invitation of Padma Bhushan Acharya Dr Goswami Gokulotsavji Maharaj that Sudhir Yardi went to Navsari to accompany the former for a four-hour-long concert! Padma Vibhushan Acharya Dr Goswami Gokulotsavji Maharaj performed at the Saptak and later at the AIR national music festival in New Delhi, and all along, Sudhir Yardi was his harmonium accompanist.

Guru's blessings and the Almighty's destiny: Padma Bhushan Acharya Dr Goswami Gokulotsavji Maharaj's blessings took Sudhir Yardi to hitherto unheard places and events. The AIR program was telecast live on AIR and Doordarshan. Remembering the bygone era, Sudhir Yardi finds it strange and puzzling: "Despite not being a full-time professional to start with, and, on the other hand, having worked as an Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, HoD, in charge of student activities in an Engineering college, and evolving into an equally professional artist can only be attributed to the Guru's, parents blessings and the Almighty's destiny". 

Accompanying the stalwarts: Sudhir Yardi, in the course of his musical journey, is humbled by the unique distinction of accompanying stalwarts like Pt Jasraj, innumerable concerts of Pt Rajan-Sajan Mishra, Pt Rashid Khan, Pt Venkateshkumar, Pt Jayatheerth Mevundi, Pt Ajay Pohankar, Pt Ghulam Mustufa Khan, or, in other words, almost all top-grade artists!

Ten national programs: Prof Sudhir Yardi has performed in 10 national programs, which is considered a great accomplishment. He hasn't kept a count of the number of programs he has performed so far, having done any number of private concerts, Sangeet Natak Academy concerts, AIR concerts, recordings, private audio cassettes, CDs, solo shows, lecture demonstrations, visiting professor assignments, etc. Prof Sudhir Yardi has been teaching music as visiting faculty at a music college and is now teaching harmonium and music full-time.

Learnt a lot of techniques: Pt Dr Vidhyadhar Oke is another Guru of Prof Sudhir Yardi, and has learnt from him a good lot of techniques of harmonium and the science of 22 shruti from the past 15-16 years.

-Manohar Yadavatti