श्रीधर पार्सेकर

Shridhar Parsekar (1920–1964) was a Hindustani classical violinist from Parsem in north Goa who also composed music for Hindi and Marathi films. Trained on the violin by Gajananrao Joshi and groomed in vocal music by Agra-gharana masters such as Khadim Hussain Khan, he grew into one of the most admired Indian violinists of his generation, serving as a staff artist at All India Radio, Bombay, where he accompanied leading vocalists and became known for his jugalbandi performances and a distinctive personal baaj. He entered films in 1939 and scored a handful of Hindi pictures, beginning with Nagad Narayan (1943) — whose songs included 'Mere Soone Mandir Mein' and 'Kyon Jag Dikhe Mohe Nyara' — followed by films such as Mahakavi Kalidas (1944), Meri Amanat (1947) and Gokul Ka Raja (1954), alongside several Marathi films including Paisa Bolto Aahe. His career was cut short when he died in 1964, aged only 44; an annual classical music festival in his native village keeps his memory alive.