Start wIn 1997, a young flutist left his hometown of Chalisgaon and moved to Thane to study under the legendary Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. Rather than dwelling on early struggles, Vivek Sonar wears them as a badge of honour that shaped his resilience. Renowned for his profound mastery of Tantakari and Layakari styles, he is among the most senior disciples of the legendary flutist Padma Vibhushan Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. With over four decades of flute playing, Sonar has performed across India and in 15 countries. Yet, his most enduring legacy remains rooted in Thane, the city he helped transform into a thriving hub for classical music.
Over the past 20 years, Sonar has built
an expansive classical music infrastructure in the city, establishing Thane as
Maharashtra's recognised cultural sub-capital. To carry forward the Gurukul
tradition, he established ‘Gurukul Pratishthan’ in Thane, training hundreds of
students in classical music and flute performance. From this foundation, he
launched the ‘Bansuri Utsav’ 19 years ago, India's first festival dedicated
entirely to the flute.
“When I host the Bansuri Utsav, over 100
flutists sit on stage together to present a 'Symphony'. Flutists from all over
the world come here to perform. Everyone feels like coming to Thane, and for
what? For a flute festival,” he says.
His efforts have transformed the city's
artistic landscape so profoundly that maestro Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia
publicly remarked, “I have never seen such a huge family of flutists
anywhere else as the one Vivek has built in Thane. So I would wish for Thane's
name to be changed to Venu-Nagari.” Also, through initiatives like the
annual 'Arpan' program for Guru Purnima, Sonar routinely brings up to 175
direct disciples together on stage, turning that vision into a living reality.
Honoured nationally and internationally with
accolades like the ‘Sur Mani’ title, the Union Government's National
Scholarship, and the Rotary Vocational Excellence Award, his work is also
equally celebrated at home through major civic honors, including the ‘Thane
Gunijaan’, ‘Pandit Ram Marathe Award’, ‘P. Savalaram Award’, and ‘Thane Ratna
Award.’
“The flute has reached every household here.
Dance, tabla, and vocal music are being practiced on a massive scale. It shows
a genuine desire to learn and pursue advanced training, and a whole new
generation is being nurtured," he states. He expresses passionately that
the true measure of his success isn't the applause abroad, it is seeing the
seeds he planted decades ago blossom into a thriving musical movement right at
home.
