User:Shashikant bawlekar/sandbox

Shashikant Shantaram Bawlekar is an Indian Musician.

Early life
Though there was no musical background in his family, somehow Shashikant Bawlekar was always musically inclined. Wherever he could hear live music being played, Shashikant Bawlekar was a sure audience at that place. He always loved to see people playing and grasp their musical skills as he never had any guru to show correct musical path.

Eventually it became his passion and the turning point of his life arrived at the age of 16. Next to his house, there was a temple where he always use to sit. I still remember It used to be a privilege for me to play dholak at various events like ganpati festivals or any aarti. Though shashikant bawlekar did not get any formal training the dholak kept at temple near his house became his best buddy. Shashikant bawlekar started exploring his playing skills with that Dholak.

It went on for some years. During his college days, he was chosen to play an instrument which he never saw,Never heard nor experienced before. Shashikant bawlekar’s first love was CONGO which became his companion for life. It was his first ever public performance. He was so fortunate that he met with his first ever organiser and his journey to play professionally eventually started. Though his joy was beyond words but there was a lot of struggle destined during his youth.

Career
When shashikant Bawlekar was offered a professional playing by an organiser,he never knew he would take him to a retro & bar.But that never changed his love for music. In fact he was fascinated to see various instruments and how beautifully they sound.It was altogether a different world for him.

This went on for about 3 years and shashikant bawlekar got an opportunity to go abroad for a similar work profile.This experience in a hotel gave him a lot of confidence. When he came back to India for a break he started getting good opportunities and good offers with some playback singers like Sunidhi Chauhan, Abhijeet Bhattachrya and also some other reputed singers.

He was very fortunate to be a part of a show “Meri Awaz Suno”. During this beautiful musical journey Shashikant bawlekar met his beautiful companion for life,his wife Pooja who became backbone of his successful life.At one point he thought that he need to develop himself with proper guidance and that’s when he met his Guru Pandit Arvind Mulgaokar. This made him more hard core practitioner. Shashikant bawlekar started understanding the deeper technicalities of each type of playing.

Today when he look back at his musical journey, he feel each step was taken at right time at right place. Currently, Shashikant bawlekar is working with all reputed organisers in Mumbai and all around the globe. Recently he had done some reality shows i.e Dil Hai Hindustani, Indian Idol , Sa Re Ga Ma Pa li’l champs. Also he is associated with well known playback singers like Lata Manageshkar,Suresh Wadkar, Sonu nigam, Jolly Mukherjee, Babul Supriyo, Alka Yagnik,Sadna Sargam, Sudesh Bhosale,Kavita Krishnamurthy, Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan, Javed Ali,Shaan etc.

Shashikant Bawlekar still feel lot to learn and explore in music which currently he is doing under guidance of Madhav Pawar Ji. He says that if their is any other life than in each life I would like to be born as a Musician!