Debashish Bhattacharya

Debashish Bhattacharya (Bengali: দেবাশীষ ভট্টাচার্য, Hindi: देवाशीष भट्टाचार्य, Devāśiṣ Bhaṭṭācārya, born 12 January 1963) is an Indian classical musician, singer, composer and educator. He is said to have introduced the first Slide Guitar Syllabus in the world. Bhattacharya redefined Indian classical music on slide guitar through the introduction of a new playing technique and sound, as well as a blending of traditional and uniquely contemporary approaches in designing his music. A music producer who plays lap slide guitar, he has taught more than a thousand students, created a new genre (Hindustani Slide Guitar), designed his own instruments (including the Chaturangui, Anandi and Gandharvi) and performed in more than two thousand concerts and workshops, with Grammy nominations and several world music awards. His latest guitar creation, the Pushpa Veena, is perhaps the first slide instrument in the world with a top made of animal skin. For Hindustani Raag music he has composed three new Raag, set to evening time: "Raag Palāsh Priyā," "Raag Shankar Dhwani" and "Raag Chandra Mālikā". Recipient of World Music Hall of Fame 2022. Grammy nominee 2009, BBC award 2007, Asiatic Society Gold Medal 2005 and President of India Gold medal 1984.

Bhattacharya was born into a musical family in Kolkata, and his skill became apparent at a young age. His parents, both traditional Indian vocalists, gave him a basic understanding of music. He first began strumming a guitar when he was 3 years old, when his father gave him a full-size Hawaiian lap steel guitar. He made his debut at the age of 4, on All India Radio in Calcutta.

At age 15, he designed his first Chaturangui and created a genre called Hindustani Slide Guitar.

When he was 20, he was awarded the President of India Award for winning All India Radio's national music competition. At 21, he went to study for ten years under Indian slide-guitar pioneer Brij Bhushan Kabra.

His contemporary compositions began attracting the notice of musicians and music lovers. In 1993, he started performing extensively across the globe. During 2000–2001, he performed with the Remember Shakti band of John McLaughlin, alongside other members Zakir Hussain and U. Srinivas, and was featured on the live album from that tour: Remember Shakti – Saturday Night in Bombay. In 2001, he developed his second slide-guitar design, the 14-string Gandharvi. In 2002, he created a type of slide guitar called the Anandi, a blend of ukulele and mandolin named after his daughter.

Bhattacharya's originality as a musician has earned him global attention.

He invented his own slide guitars, unique to his compositions, which he calls the "Trinity of Guitars". These hollow-neck instruments are the 24-string Chaturangui; the 14-string Gandharvi; and the Anandi, a 4-string lap steel ukulele.

Bhattacharya opened a nonprofit School of Universal Music in Kolkata, where he estimates he has taught hundreds of students from all over the world the principal universal form of Indian Raga music and specialised guitar techniques.