Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi ( pronunciation (help·info)); February 4, 1922 – January 24, 2011) He was an Indian vocalist in the Hindustani classical tradition. He was born in Gadag, Karnataka to a Kannada Madhwa family.  He is known for the khayal form of singing, as well as for his popular renditions of devotional music (bhajans and abhangs). In 1998, he was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship the highest honour conferred by Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama. Subsequently received the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, in 2008.