Draft:Pandit Mohan Shyam Sharma Pakhawaj

Mohan Shyam Sharma (born 2 April 1966) is one of the leading Pakhawaj players of India. He hails from Bharatpur district from Rajasthan. He learnt the Pakhawaj from Pandit Tota Ram Sharma of Mathura. He also had the opportunity of learning Pakhawaj from Pandit Prem Vallabh of Delhi.

Mohan Shyam Sharma is ‘A’ grade artist of All India Radio. He started his career as an accompanist with the Dagar brothers and toured with them, and with Ustad Asad Ali Khan and Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar extensively in India and abroad. He is a much sought-after accompanist for all the most eminent exponents of Dhrupad, vocal and instrumental Indian Classical Music. He also accompanied Darbhanga gharana exponents- Pandit Vidhur Mallick and Pandit Siya Ram Tiwari and accompanied world famous musicians of other styles as well including Pandit Ravi Shankar, Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Pandit Nirmalya Dey and Gaan Saraswati Kishori Amonkar. He has also performed solo in abroad countries like France, Italy, Belgium, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, Portugal, Austria, Russia, United Kingdom, U.S.A and some neighboring countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Honkong.

The specificity of his playing lies in his handling of the techniques of accompaniment. It is marked by his imaginative variations anticipating on the singers variations while keeping up the required coordination and respecting the mood of the raga. He has a personality of his own and yet blends in the performance. He has given workshops and solo performances. He has been recorded in solo by India Archive Music Limited. He has appeared on a number of CD recordings in India, Europe, England, and the USA. For long time, he was associated with Cambridge School NOIDA as Music teacher.

He has also made a name for himself as a very talented teacher in the guru-shishya parampara style of teaching and has many students, Indian and foreigners. Some of his students are Tushar Gharat, Balázs Virág, Martin Brading, Rajaram, Alexis Wesgerber, Rahul Sharma, Rahul Bhattacharyya, Bhuban Sharma and many.

Pandit Mohan Shyam Sharma, while ably represents the Nathdwara Parampara, has got extensive training of Kudau Singh style as well.