Siyaram Tiwari is a well-known Dhrupad singer hailing from Bihar. He comes from a renowned musical family of the Amid village in the Darbhanga district. He was born in 1921. His father Pandit Baldeva Tiwari was a well-known Khayal and Thumri singer of his time. His grandfather Pandit Avadhaji Tiwari was a renowned Sitar player and his great-grandfather Pandit Phirangi Baba was a famous singer. Pandit Siyaram Tiwari inherited the talent of Dhrupad singing from his maternal grandfather Pandit Visnudeva Pathaka who was the chief representative of Darbhanga Gharana in Dhrupad style.
Pandit Siyaram started his music education at the age of eight. His first music teacher was his Nana (maternal grandfather) Pandit Visnudeva Pathaka who was also a good Pakhavaj player in addition to being an accomplished Dhrupad singer. Siyaramji learnt Khayal and Thumri from his father Pandit Baldevaji Tiwari and Dhrupad from Pandit Ksitipala Mallik. Pandit Ksitipala Mallik was so accomplished and learned that he was called `Nayaka`. Pandit Siyaram learnt Dhrupad also from Pandit Chandrika Prasada of Gaya, Baba Hanumanadasa, Sri Janki Sarana, Snehalata, Ustad Mahatab Khan and Svami Phirangi Baba of Gaya.
Pandit Siyaram mainly sang Dhrupads of Gaurahara and Nauhara Banis. He received a gold medal from the first Indian President the late Dr. Rajendra Prasad in 1955 and was also honoured by Sri Mahendra, the king of Nepal, in 1970 for his charming style of singing. In 1971 he was awarded the title of Padma Shri by the Government of India. He was a member of Sangeet Natak Academy and is a sitting member of the selection committee of All India Radio, Delhi. His programmes were frequently broadcast from All India Radio.
Pandit Siyaram had a very unique style of Dhrupad singing. For this reason he received many titles such as `Sangitacharya` from the Bharatiya Sangita Evam Lalita Kala Vidyapitha, Kanpur; `Laya Samrata from Sanstha Sangita Sumalika, Kanpur; `Sangita-Sudhakara` from Tansen Sangita Academy, Mumbai and the Honorary degree of Sangita Prabhakara from Prayaga Sahgita Samiti, Allahabad.
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