The Department of Posts, Government of India, will release a commemorative stamp to honour Pandit Chatur Lal in his centenary year celebrations.
He was the 1st Indian percussionist to introduce tabla to the West in the 1950s.
Born in – Udaipur.
Chatur Lal came from a family of court musicians and farmers.
Musical Career- He learned tabla under the aegis of Ustad Abdul Hafiz Ahmed Khan, who trained from Jehangir Khan, the court musician of Indore who had trained in the Farukhabad and Lucknow styles.
He played a crucial role in connecting Indian classical rhythms with Western music, paving the way for subsequent Indo-jazz ensembles such as Shakti.
In 1952, Menuhin (American-born British violinist) visited India experienced a private concert featuring Shankar and Chatur Lal, which profoundly impacted him.
Awards – He was the first Indian percussionist to be nominated at the Oscars in 1957 for his work in the Canadian short film A Chairy Tale.