DeshGujarat captured Rasbiharibhai’s this speech when he was honored by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation in May this year.

Ahmedabad, 6 October 2012

Veteran Gujarati Sugam Sangit artist Shri Rasbihari Desai is no more. He passed away today morning in Ahmedabad’s Jivraj Mehta hospital due to cardiac arrest.

Shri Rasbihari Desai was given public honor by the city of Amdavad in July this year in an event organized by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.

Physics professor Rasbihari Desai was a singer and composer who contributed immensely to Gujarati music through his music academy in Bhavans college in Ahmedabad. He trained thousands of students and this way gave a number of new singers to the world of Gujarati music.

Rasbiharibhai was married to Gujarati singer Vibha Vaishnav in 1964. Vibhaben was Joint Commissioner in Income Tax department.

Rasbiharibhai established ‘Shruti Vrund’ in 1961 to spread Gujarat sugam music to common people. ‘Shruti Vrund’ succesfully organized number of programms of Gujarati sugam sangit in the span of over four decades.

Rasbiharibhai won award for music in Gujarati film ‘Kashi no dikro’. He also gave music in other Gujarati films like ‘Mandvani Jui’ and gave albums like ‘Shravanmadhuri’, ‘Bilipatra’ etc.

Born in Nagar family, Rasbiharibhai learnt music from his grand mother Mahalakshmiben and his father Ramanlal who was known at the Meghani of Patan thanks to his singing skill. He was later guided by Suryakant Dave, Suresh Jani and Purushottam Upadhyay in the field of Gujarati sugam music.

Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi on Twitter said, “we will miss the eminent singer, composer Shri Rasbihari Desai who made invaluable contribution to Gujarati music. May his soul rest in peace.”

Paying his tribute to late singer/musician, young Gujarati poet Ankit Trivedi said, “he contributed fresh voices to Gujarati music through his music academy in Bhavans for over three decades. His foundation level service through academic approach was very important. Gujarati music has lost few of its gems in recent past. I pray Goddess Saraswati to have mercy.”

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