You were initiated into music at an early age...
True. I was born into a family of kirtankars in Marathwada (1924). My father Eknathbuwa Vyas and grandfather Raghunathbuwa Vyas were noted kirtankars. Kirtans have music as an integral component, so the atmosphere was always there. But my formal training began under PtGovindrao Bhatambrekar of the Kirana gharana at age ten when I shifted to Barsi for schooling. In five years' time I started singing at private concerts and then-popular sangeet melas.

Wasn't that a little too early to start public performances?
I should have waited till I was soundly trained. I remember once being asked by the then collector of Osmanabad to sing Raag Darbari. I began full throttle and the audience was in raptures. I was thrilled with the superlatives being showered. When I met the collector he too praised my singing and drawing me close, whispered: ``Why did you sing mia ki malhar when I asked you to sing Darbari?'' Suddenly, I realised I needed more tayyari and riyaaz.

When did you shift to Mumbai? Did you find a guru here?
I came here after matriculation. Initially it was difficult but I had a friend who knew Rajarambuwa Paradkar of the Gwalior gharana. His acceptance of me as pupil was the turning point in my musical pursuits. I trained under him for 18years.

How did you end up as the legendary Gunidas' student?
I heard the Agra gharana maestro Pt Jagannathbuwa Purohit alias Gunidas' electrifying singing at a concert and knew I must learn from him. Until his death in 1968 I stayed in his tutelage.

How did you begin composing bandishes?
I was spurred on by Guruji who was an ace at composing both bandishes and raagas. My bandishes are all based on the guru-shishya tradition. The most wonderful thing is, Guruji and me ended up doing a sawal-jawaab through our bandishes. If I said: Ho suran mein ras tum ho/Taalan mein lai tum ho (set to raag Lalit), Guruji would match it with Mora laadla kaahe karat mose neha (set to raag Jog).

And raagas?
I created Dhankoni-Kalyan by pure accident. While singing Yaman-Kalyan during riyaaz, I ended up singing a different phrase instead. I stopped singing and for two days kept mulling on the phrase. After playing around with notes and descent I found I had a new raaga on myhands.

What about the criticism that composing new raagas is a gimmick?

That may be the case when a composition is done as an end in itself. A thorough understanding of music is necessary. Mere replacing of notes, phrases or scale is not composition. Perhaps the best test for a new composition is its being performed by other artistes. For example, Gunidas' creation Jog-kauns, which is widely sung and appreciated even today by those who don't know who its creator is. The composition should be able to stand by itself without the composer. Gimmicks don't.

How do you react when people call you the only vocalist with a smiling face?
The rigorous tayyari I underwent has ensured that. The popular notion linking contorted faces and vigorous hand-movements with good singing is incorrect. If your preparation is perfect there's no strain and the notes flow freely, allowing you to relax and sing.

Recognition has taken its time coming.
In the early 60s, the few names which are todaypopular on the concert circuit would go and camp in Calcutta (which has many connoisseurs of classical music), Lucknow, Gwalior or Benares, where they would start performing in private mehfils. This helped etch some names permanently in people's minds. When the concert circuit in its current avtaar took over, it was no surprise that the same names kept getting invited.

What matters for me is that I'm a better musician rather than a better marketeer.

Most senior artistes agree classical music will not die out. But isn't there a need for it to lose its rigidity and become more appealing to masses?
The process has already begun. Any art form cannot become static and survive. Dynamism and evolution keep it going.

Do you approve of attempts to do this through fusion with Western classical or pop?
One thing universal about good music is that it brings inner peace to you. As long as that happens I don't have a problem since in both western or classical we have the same seven notes. But oneneeds to be careful that the fusion does not become confusion.