"Today, music is treated as a commodity. Those who sing for the gallery add further fuel to fire. They don`t realize that just gathering a repertoire does not necessarily make them knowledgeable about the spirit of music. Music, according to our ancient treatises, has a medicinal value, provided we know when and how to use a particular note. We should remember the purpose of Music, its beginning, its transit and its end. To understand and assimilate this, we should seek help from a guru" ---Kishori Amonkar. Kishori Amonkar is an illustrious Hindusthani classical vocalist who belongs to the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana. She usually sings `khyal`.

This eminent classical vocalist was born on 10th April in the year 1931. She was born to well known vocalist mother Smt. Mogubai Kurdikar and father Madhavdas Bhatiya. Smt. Mogubai Kurdikar had her training under the late "Gaan Samrat" Ustad Alladiya Khan Sahab. Kishori Amonkar started her training in Indian classical music under the guidance of her mother. Eventually she managed to absorb the inalienable qualities of Jaipur-Atrauli gharana of music. Today she is known for her unique style that she developed over the years through rigorous training. She made her own style by stressing on the `emotional content of musical notes maintaining the essence of the traditional Jaipur singing style`.

Pandit Arun Dravid, Smt. Padma Talwalkar, Milind Raikar (who plays the Violin) and Raghunandan Panshikar are the known teaching artists of the future genereation. They are the proud students of Kishori Amonkar. Her students have already reached the celestial point in their career. Through her singing career she has been conferred several illustrious award as a recognition to her talent. She has been conferred the title "Gana Saraswati", i.e. the Saraswati of Singing. Kishori has bagged a rare honor of being nominated for one of the highest civilion award given by Government of India, `Padma Vibhushan`. Her far famed mother has also won this prestigious award in the year 1989. Apart from these award, she has been conferred the `Sangeet Natak Akademi Award` in the year 1985 and `Sangeet Samragni Award`, which means `Queen of Singing` in the year 1997.

This beautiful musician once commented on her beauty like this, ""People say that I look beautiful when I sing. Today I seem to have got an answer. When I sing, I want everything to be beautiful - my notes, my rhythm and myself too. My desire is so intense that on the stage you have beauty personified, not Kishori looking beautiful."