Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar

It was a style of singing that the imperial courts of India resounded with, but after Independence, as royalty faded away, so did its patronage for music. Efforts were made to revive Dhrupad in 1981 when a dedicated school was set up in Bhopal, and Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar, or Chhote Ustad, was invited to teach there. Gradually, the master vocalist, together with other exponents, brought Dhrupad back into prominence — something that he continued to do until he breathed his last in 2013.