Hans Christian Andersen once said, “Where words fail, music speaks”. These words are apt for IRS officer Rajesh Dhabre, who apart from his duties of being a diligent Narcotics Commissioner of the Central Bureau of Narcotics, is also a brilliant musician, composer, lyricist, and singer, and expresses his emotions and devotion through his magical voice.
He has not only composed but also sung numerous songs alongside some of India’s biggest stars in the music world. In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Dhabre shared details about his musical journey.
LOVE FOR MUSIC
Mr. Dhabre’s love and passion for music are such that he doesn’t even remember the moment when he gained interest in it. To him, music has always been the biggest part of his life – more like his identity – from which, it’s almost impossible for him to stay apart.
“My love for music is natural, I was born with it. Since my childhood, I used to listen to songs and sing along. Gradually, I tried to do better and improve my skills, and with continuity, I started going beyond just singing and tried my hand at writing and composing as well. Thus, the love for music just kept growing in me,” shared Mr. Dhabre.
A MUSICIAN-BUREAUCRAT
It is not easy for a person to handle two important things simultaneously, especially when it comes to one’s career duties and passion. But even with a tightly packed schedule and a demanding job, Mr. Dhabre has beautifully managed to handle both his duties towards the nation and his musical inclination, without hampering anyone.
“It isn’t difficult to manage the two. I have developed a balance in a way that no particular thing comes in the way of another. When I am on duty, I only see work, and when I am a composer, I see nothing apart from my music,” he told Indian Masterminds.
Moreover, his passion for music helps him a lot when he is dealing with challenges while on the job. There are moments when things seem extremely tough and tense. During that time, his music acts like a stress buster for him and helps him through.
“Music has made me even more diligent towards my work. It helps me go through a difficult day at the office and brings down my stress levels. It has really been very helpful,” stated Mr. Dhabre.
STARRY MUSICAL JOURNEY
Mr. Dhabre has worked with numerous celebrities over the years. Apart from singing alongside them, he has also composed music and written lyrics for top musicians of the nation.
Mr. Dhabre’s first album, Buddha Hi Buddha Hai, was released in May 2010 and was written and composed with the active collaboration of singer Sonu Nigam. The title song of the album was also sung by the celeb singer, the music and lyrics of which were given by the officer. Legends Hariharan, Alka Yagnik, and Mr. Dhabre himself each contributed one song, while Shankar Mahadevan and Suresh Wadkar contributed two songs apiece. The album achieved great popularity.
Even though the aforementioned musicians were all legendary, only Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar can top them all. She also performed for the officer, and he had the unique opportunity to practise with her while she sang and play the harmonium. According to him, it was his biggest achievement.
The legend of the millennium, Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, was also present at the launch of the album.
SECOND ALBUM
Mr. Dhabre released his second album in 2013, called Siddhartha the Lotus Blossom, the songs of which were based on Buddha’s teachings and philosophy. The officer once again got the legendary ‘Lata didi’ to sing Buddhang Saranang Gachhami for the album.
A song has been performed in his album by each of the industry legends, including Asha Bhosle, Anup Jalota, Pankaj Udhas, Shankar, Hariharan, and Suresh Wadkar. Popular singer Shaan, too, has a song and so does Mr. Dhabre himself. The music and lyrics of all the songs were produced by the officer.
SARNANG
Mr. Dhabre continued his incredible journey in 2015-16 with the release of Sarnang, the first-ever tribute to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in Hindi songs and Hindi films. By performing in this album, Shankar Mahadevan and Hariharan resumed their collaboration, and the officer also gave Shaan and Shreya Ghoshal a song each.
Sarnang was officially released by a minister of the Maharashtra government, the forever-young hero Jeetendra, and the beaming singing star Shaan.
With talented artists like Shankar Mahadevan, Shaan, Alka Yagnik, Anup Jalota, and Mamta Sharma, the officer has also produced some big musical concerts, such as Buddha hi Buddha hai, Agaaz, and Samta Sangeet. These performances have taken place not just in India but also in Paris and London.
A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO BABASAHEB
When the world was hit by the deadly Coronavirus pandemic, and the nation came to a halt because of the lockdown, Mr. Dhabre decided to pay a special tribute to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar for his relentless work for the country.
The song, which is written and composed by the officer and sung by Shankar Mahadevan, was made to honour his greatness and bring to light his contribution and unconditional work for education, women empowerment and the farmers of the nation. The song also depicts his challenges on the way, and how he came out of them as an achiever.
The song was released over video conference by the Chief Minister of Delhi, Mr. Arvind Kejriwal, amidst his busy role in fighting the pandemic.
NEW SONG COMING UP
We can expect a new song by Mr. Dhabre soon as he is working on one, which he will dedicate to the social reformers who fought and dedicated their lives to bring justice to the country.
“I want to pay my respect to those unsung heroes and compose a song on them,” he told Indian Masterminds.
Mr. Dhabre is an ardent fan of the legend, Mohd. Rafi. He respects the late singer so much that, to this date, he makes sure to dedicate an entire show solely to the singer in every musical show that he performs. He performs over 25 solo songs in the show and pays special tributes to the immortal singer.
