Ashok Krishnarao Jagtap
Ashok Krishnarao Jagtap is an Indian musician and violinist associated with the golden era of Indian film music. Born on 29 July 1942 in Baroda (Vadodara), Gujarat, he moved to Mumbai in 1965 to pursue a professional career in the film industry. Over nearly 55 years, Ashok Krishnarao Jagtap played violin on more than 10,000 songs, worked as a session musician with virtually every major music director of the era, and served as President of the Cine Musicians Association. He is also the founder of Opera Music Centre and author of the book Golden Era of Indian Music, which documents his experiences in the golden era of Indian cinema.
Early Life
Ashok Krishnarao Jagtap was born on 29 July 1942 in Baroda, now known as Vadodara, in Gujarat, India. His early life in Baroda became a recurring anchor throughout his later writings and experiences, reflecting his deep connection to his hometown. He grew up with an interest in Western music and developed foundational musical awareness during his youth.
Education
Ashok Krishnarao Jagtap completed a degree course at Music College, now known as the Faculty of Performing Arts, specializing in violin performance. He also studied Western staff notation informally from Edward Daniel Francis, described as a well-known clarinet player and bandmaster of the State Reserve Police (SRP) band. This combination of formal education in Indian classical violin tradition and informal Western notation training gave him unique capability to perform both orchestral and solo roles throughout his career.
Career
Ashok Jagtap's professional career spans nearly 55 years of work in Indian film music and orchestral performance.
Opera Music Centre
In 1963, Ashok Krishnarao Jagtap founded Opera Music Centre, a local orchestra in Gujarat. The orchestra became known across Gujarat for Western music performances and training. Through Opera Music Centre, he trained many students in Western music, with some later joining the film industry and establishing careers in music. His work with the orchestra reflected his commitment to developing skilled musicians and spreading Western musical training in Gujarat.
Move to Mumbai and Professional Breakthrough
In 1965, Ashok Krishnarao Jagtap moved to Mumbai to pursue a professional career in the film industry as a musician. His career breakthrough came through a personal introduction to Sumantraj, a legendary flutist and founder of the Cine Musicians Association. Sumantraj auditioned him on violin and recognized his talent, encouraging him to move to Mumbai permanently. Within a week of this meeting, Ashok Krishnarao Jagtap relocated to Mumbai. Sumantraj personally introduced him to Kalyanji of Kalyanji-Anandji, which led to his first professional film music recording, launching a decades-long career in the Indian film industry.
Film Music Career
As a violinist and film musician, Ashok Krishnarao Jagtap worked with virtually every major music director of the golden era of Indian film music, including Naushad, O.P. Nayyar, Salil Chowdhury, Shankar-Jaikishan, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Madan Mohan, Ravindra Jain, S.D. Burman, R.D. Burman, Anu Malik, Bappi Lahiri, and later-generation composers like Rahman and Himesh Reshammiya.
His work included playing in group violin sections as well as performing as a song violinist, playing solo violin passages behind prominent playback singers including Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Mukesh, and Mohammed Rafi. Because he knew both Indian classical music and Western notation, he was uniquely capable of playing both orchestral and solo song-violin roles. According to his professional record, Ashok Krishnarao Jagtap played violin on more than 10,000 songs during his career spanning nearly 55 years. He also arranged songs for music director Ravindra Jain, contributing both performance and musical arrangement work to the industry.
Industry Leadership
Ashok Krishnarao Jagtap became President of the Cine Musicians Association, the same professional body founded by his mentor Sumantraj. He also served as an office bearer of the Western India Cine Employees Union. As association president, he recommended rhythm player and music director Dattaram Wadkar for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in the musician category. When Dattaram was too ill to attend the awards function on 30 April 2006, Ashok Krishnarao Jagtap accepted the award on his behalf. He also supported the association's recommendation of arranger Manohari Singh for a Dadasaheb Phalke Award in the music category. Throughout his leadership, he acted as an auditions gatekeeper for new musicians seeking association membership, working alongside senior figures like Manohari Singh.
Achievements
Ashok Krishnarao Jagtap has been recognized for his significant contributions to Indian film music. He worked with every major music director of the golden era and backed leading playback singers in their iconic recordings. His decades of professional involvement as a violinist, arranger, mentor, and industry leader have established him as a significant figure in the history of Indian film music. He received recognition from music director Pyarelal on behalf of the Cine Musicians Association for his professional contributions.
Published Work
Ashok Krishnarao Jagtap authored the book Golden Era of Indian Music, a 134-page work originally compiled from posts he wrote on Facebook and WhatsApp, later assembled into book form at the urging of friends. The book is dedicated to his parents and includes acknowledgements to friend Dhiru Mistry who motivated him to write it, Dr. Ashutosh Arya for editing, Bindoo Printing Press for printing, and I.P. Singh for cover design. The book contains 48 chapters and anecdotes documenting his experiences with major figures including Shankar-Jaikishan, Khayyam, Manohari Singh, Mukesh, Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, O.P. Nayyar, Kalyanji-Anandji, and Madan Mohan, along with a photo gallery. A Gujarati edition is also available, with a Marathi translation completed and available.
Legacy
Ashok Jagtap's career reflects the essential role of session musicians and instrumentalists in the development and recording of Indian film music. His work spans the complete history of the golden era, from the mid-1960s through the 1990s and beyond. His contributions as a violinist, arranger, orchestra founder, mentor to younger musicians, and association leader have significantly impacted the Indian film music industry. His documented experiences through his book preserve important history and insights from the golden era of Indian cinema.
Contact Information
- Name: Ashok Krishnarao Jagtap
- Address: A/803 Sheth Residency Park, Near Tarun Utkarsh School, Gavanpada, Mulund East, Mumbai – 400081, Maharashtra, India
- Mobile: 9820548475
- Alternate Mobile: 8828516690
- Email: ashok.k.jagtap@gmail.com