Best Indian Drummers of All Time

In recent years, unlike other music genres drummers of India have got the rise in the music industry. India has got the drummers who have broken all the norms of drummers being underrated and developed their firm footing individuality around the world with their talent. Let's know closely about the most influential, accomplished and renowned drummers of India.

1.SIVAMANI

Sivamani is a leading drummer of India and Indian percussionist around the world. As a soloist, he is well-known for his creative, versatile drumming. He doesn’t need any electrical gadget to compose a music and unites any kind of props or things like a spoon, water tub, bottles, pillow, metal, luggage and creates a divine rhythm from it. Sivamani’s father was a Chennai based percussionist and started his musical profession at the age of 11. Firstly, he experimented his music with Carnatic maestros. He is a euphoric presenter of drumming and has amalgamated with renowned artists like A.R. Rahman, Youssou N'Dour, Zakir Hussain, Elvin Jones and Hariprasad Chaurasia. Sivamani has gained recognition through his role as A. R. Rahman's lead percussionist and has performed at countless massive stages. His first solo album is Mahaleela, playing with a rotating team of singers and has also played drums for many Bollywood and Tollywood films.

In his some of his interviews he has said that,

“My life as a drummer started the day I was in my mom’s womb, I played to the sound of my mom’s heartbeat.” — Sivamani 

“Becoming a drummer is more of a choice than chance for me. I always wanted to make it to the top.”- Sivamani

2.RANJIT BAROT

Portrayed as “ONE OF THE LEADING EDGES IN DRUMMING” by guitar legend John McLaughlin, Ranjit Barot is an Indian drummer, music director, singer, film score composer. Ranjit has been featured as the drummer in John McLaughlin’s Grammy-nominated album 'Floating Point'. He is at the forefront of the Indian musical revolution and has brought his unique personality to this genre of music. Ranjit’s mother Sitara Devi was the queen of Kathak dancer and so since childhood, he had the influence of dance and music on him. After starting the career in 1980, Ranjit has been a featured drummer and arranger for R.D.Burman, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Kalyanji-Anandji, continuing through the eras of Anu Malik and Ismail Darbar. Ranjit also performed at the Yatra with the great Pandit Ravi Shankar’s ensemble, Jazzmine, featuring John Handy, George Adams and Mike Richmond of the Mingus Dynasty. His debut album “BADA BOOM” featured some of the greatest musicians of the music scene and presently he is a music producer for MTV Unplugged (India).

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