Mitali Banerjee Bhawmik  is an outstanding  exponent of Hindustani vocal music excelling in Khayal singing as well as the light classical forms. She started her initial lessons in music at a very early age from Sri Ajit Dutta nd later  receiving extensive training from Sri Biren Phukan in Guahati, Assam. Mitali came to Calcutta in 1983 where she initially received lessons from Srimati Meera Banerjee, the noted vocalist. After  1984 Mitali  became a student of the late  Padmabhushan Pandit V. G. Jog.   Pandit Jog's vast and extensive experience in the different musical styles and traditions helped Mitali to blend the best of few Gharanas in her music Mitali also receiving training in semi- classical music from Smt. Dahlia Rahut, a senior disciple of Smt. Girija Devi.
Mitali’s music has been featured in the film The Namesake.

Basant Bahar is pleased to start the 2010 concert year with this superb  performer.

Prasad Bhandarkar, a fine bansuri player from the bay area,  started learning Hindustani music when he was 8 years old.  Initiated into classical music by his mother, he started learning bansuri flute from Shri Anantrao Patwardhan of Mumbai. In 1990, he was fortunate to become student of Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia. In recent years, Prasad has been learning music from the noted Sitar player of Maihar Gharana, Pandit Partha Chatterjee who is one of the prominent disciples of the late Pandit Nikhil Banerjee. Prasad also gratefully acknowledges the contribution to his musical development by Shri Deepak Ram  who is senior disciple of Pt Chaurasia,  and Prasad's friends from his music group in the Bay Area. An Engineer by profession Prasad  has been performing in claasical as well as light classical concerts. He teaches Bansuri and hosts bansuriflute.com  with information for beginners.