Baluji Shrivastav
India
Sitar, dilruba, tabla, naal, surbahar, voice
Born in Uttar Pradesh, Baluji began his study of music at Ajmer Blind School. He graduated from Lucknow University at a young age with a BA in Sitar and Vocal Studies and later obtained an MA in Sitar and BA in Tabla at Alahabad University.
As a teenager, Baluji toured India with the National Ballet, giving him the opportunity to discover many of the regional folk styles of music. He was professor of music in Agra when he was invited to France to teach.
As well as being a master of sitar and Hindustani Classical music, he is highly renowned for his performances throughout Europe, Africa and America.
Baluji joined Grand Union in 1986, and has since recorded with many pop artists such as Boy George, Annie Lennox and Kylie Minogue, who re-worked their music to include his melodies.