{{Short description|Indian classical musician (1935–2022)}} {{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Damodar Hota | image = Guru Pt. Damodar Hota performing Odissi music.png | image_size = | origin = [[Puri, Odisha]], India | genre = [[Hindustani Classical Music|Hindustani classical music]], [[Odissi music|Odissi classical music (Udra Paddhatiya Sangita)]] | occupation = {{flatlist| * Classical vocalist * scholar * composer * educator}} | years_active = | label = | website = | honorific_prefix = ''Padmakesari'' | native_name = ଦାମୋଦର ହୋତା | native_name_lang = or | birth_date = {{birth date|1935|12|25||df=y}} | birth_place = [[Puri, Odisha]], [[British Raj]] | death_date = {{death date and age|2022|02|05|1935|12||df=y}} | death_place = [[Bhubaneswar]], [[Odisha]], India }}

''Pandit'' '''Damodar Hota''' ({{Langx|or|ଦାମୋଦର ହୋତା|translit=Dāmodara Hotā}}; 25 December 1935 – 5 February 2022) was an Indian classical vocalist, musicologist, composer, and guru based in [[Odisha]], India. He was an exponent of [[Hindustani classical music]] as well as [[Odissi music|Odissi classical music]] (''Udra Paddhatiya Sangita'').

His primary research on [[Odissi music|Odissi classical music]] in the 1960s was groundbreaking in uncovering the historical roots, distinct ragas, talas, and lakshyanas of the music.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Dissenting-note/article15938003.ece|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200812134917/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Dissenting-note/article15938003.ece|archive-date = 12 August 2020|title = Dissenting note|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 24 April 2009}}</ref>

== Career ==

A Top Grade artist of Doordarshan and All India Radio, he started learning music from his mother Smt. Dandimani Devi and father Sri Gopinath Hota who was skilled in [[Odissi music]] and [[Mardala]]. He also learned from the elderly musicians of the Jaga-Akhadas of [[Puri]] and the [[Jagannath Temple, Puri|Jagannath Temple]].<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Khuntia|first1=Nrusingha Nath|title=Srimandira Sangitamala|last2=Hota|first2=Damodar|publisher=Swara-Ranga|year=2003|volume=2|location=Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India|language=or|script-title=or:ଶ୍ରୀମନ୍ଦିର ସଙ୍ଗୀତମାଳା|trans-title=Traditional classical music of the Jagannatha Temple, Puri}}</ref> He continued higher training in Odissi music under Guru Nrusingha Nath Khuntia.

He was a chief disciple of Padmashree [[Balwantrai Bhatt|Pt. Balwant Rai Bhatt]] (Bhav Rang) and Pandit [[Omkarnath Thakur|Pt. Omkarnath Thakur]] (Pranav Rang). His compositions bear the pen name 'Swar Rang'.<ref>{{Cite news|date=24 April 2009|title=Dissenting note|newspaper=The Hindu|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Dissenting-note/article15938003.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812134917/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Dissenting-note/article15938003.ece|archive-date=12 August 2020}}</ref>

He attended the College of Music and Fine Arts at [[Banaras Hindu University]]. For his Doctor of Music (''Sangeet Pravin'') degree, he was awarded the Pandit [[Mirashi Buwa]] Puraskar. He held Madhyama Purna in Tabla and Visharad in Pakhawaj.

He served as principal and senior faculty of Hindustani vocal music at [[Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya]].

== Teaching == {{Odissi Classical Music sidebar}}Pandit Hota had been teaching music in the ''gurukula'' tradition since 1963. He was the founder and chief guru of Swar Rang, an institution of Hindustani Classical and Udra Paddhatiya Sangita. To aid teaching and preservation, he authored numerous books notating and discussing the practice, compositions, theory, and historical aspects of both forms of music. Many of the books are used as syllabus work across [[Odisha]]. From 2007 to 2016, Pandit Hota organized the annual Tridhara National Music Conference to spread knowledge of Udra Paddhatiya Sangita alongside the two other forms of Indian Classical Music.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110531/jsp/orissa/story_14046221.jsp |title=The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) &#124; Orissa &#124; Music genres blend to enthral audience |website=www.telegraphindia.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160323021755/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110531/jsp/orissa/story_14046221.jsp |archive-date=23 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Pandit Hota established the Sri Jagannath Institute of Udra Padhhatiya Sangeet for research and training in Udra Paddhatiya Sangita (Odissi music).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sri Jagannath Institute of Udra Padhhatiya Sangeet|url=https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Performance---Event-Venue/Sri-Jagannath-Institute-of-Udra-Padhhatiya-Sangeet-102048745122152/|access-date=2021-03-28|website=www.facebook.com|language=en}}</ref>

== Death== He died in Bhubaneswar on 5 February 2022, at the age of 86.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2022-02-06|title=Noted Classical Vocalist Pandit Damodar Hota Passes Away|url=https://pragativadi.com/noted-classical-vocalist-pandit-damodar-hota-passes-away/|access-date=2022-02-06|work=[[Pragativadi]]|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2022-02-06|title="Eminent Odia classical musician Pt Damodar Hota's demise"|url=https://sambad.in/state/pandit-damodar-hota-passed-away-774394/|access-date=2022-02-06|work=[[Sambad]]|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Published works == * ''Kisora Chandrananda Champu Lahari'' * ''Udra Paddhatiya Mela Raga Tala Lakhyana'' (in 7 parts) * ''Hindustani Sangeeta Lahari'' (in 5 parts) * ''Lakhyana O Swara Malika Lahari'' (part 1) * ''Srimandira Sangeeta Mala'' (in 2 parts) * ''Sangeet Shashtra'' (part 1) * ''Bharatiya Sangeeta Ra Itihasa'' (in 2 parts) * ''Udra Paddhatiya Mela Raga Tala O Prabandha Lakhyana'' (part 1)

== References == {{reflist}}

{{authority control}} {{Odissi music}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hota, Damodar}} [[Category:1935 births]] [[Category:2022 deaths]] [[Category:20th-century Indian male classical singers]] [[Category:Hindustani singers]] [[Category:People from Puri]] [[Category:Gwalior gharana]] [[Category:Indian music educators]] [[Category:Banaras Hindu University alumni]] [[Category:Odissi music]] [[Category:Recipients of the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi award]]