Bhimsen Joshi (1922 - 2011) was one of the greatest Indian vocalists of the second half of the 20th century. He was known for the khyal form of singing, as well as for his popular renditions of devotional bhajans and abhangs. He received the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, in 2008.

Bhimsen Joshi learnt from Sawai Gandharva as a teenager and started performing in 1941. He was known for his powerful voice, amazing breath control, fine musical sensibility and unwavering grasp of the fundamentals, representing a subtle fusion of intelligence and passion that imparted life and excitement to his music. A classicist by training, and temperament, Bhimsen Joshi was renowned for having evolved an approach that sought to achieve a balance between traditional values and mass-culture tastes. His singing was based on the repertoire of the Kirana gharana and has been influenced by many musicians, including Kesarbai Kerkar, Begum Akhtar and Amir Khan. Joshi assimilated into his own singing various elements that he liked in different musical styles and Gharanas. He was a purist who has not dabbled in experimental forms of music, except for a series of Jugalbandi recordings with the Carnatic singer M. Balamuralikrishna.