Pandit Arvind Mulgaonkar is classed among the most renowned contemporary Tabla Maestros. He has piously preserved the traditional elegance of Tabla repertoire. Born in 1937, Pandit Mulgaonkar not only devoted his life to learning, mastering and preserving this treasure of rare Tabla compositions but also handed it down most generously to the next generation. Pandit Mulgaonkar is not just known as a Tabla maestro but also as the author of a treatise entitled ‘Tabla’ published by Maharashtra Text Book Board, Nagpur in 1975. This book is considered to be a reference book for Tabla in the music circle. Its revised second edition was published by Popular Prakashan, Mumbai in 1999. A Hindi translation of his book Tabla is now published and available on Amazon India. He is a creative composer and has numerous compositions to his credit. Limited copies of his book “Gushtaki Muaf” consisting of his compositions was published in 1997 for private circulation. As an author he has also written number of short stories on artists, published in magazines from time to time. His short notes were also published in Maharashtra Vishwa Kosh, Wai. A biography of Late Ustad Amir Hussain Khan written by Pandit Mulgaonkar, titled ‘Athavanincha Doha’ which includes 226 selected compositions of the Ustad, was published by Popular Prakashan in 2006. A Hindi translation of this book, Yadon ki Jheel, is now published and available. He was an expert commentator on the rare audio video recording sessions of great Tabla Maestros arranged by Samwad Foundation, Mumbai in collaboration with various universities and institutions throughout the country. In addition to this he was visiting faculty at various universities across India. He was a member of the Advisory council of Municipal Kala Academy, Mumbai and Tansen Award and Kumar Gandharwa Award Selection Committee, M.P.

He had participated in a number of music conferences giving solo recitals and accompaniment to eminent artistes all over the country. He has also given a number of Lecture – Demonstrations, Solo concerts and Workshops on tabla throughout India and New Jersey, Manhattan, Detroit, San Diego, San hose, San Francisco, Cupertino, Richmond in USA, and Freienstein, Küttigen and Zurich in Switzerland and in Mauritius as well. He imparted advanced training to a number of students on the basis of ‘Guru-Shishya Parampara’ for almost fifty years.

He is the founder of the ‘Bandish Tabla Art Promotion Trust’ dedicated to the memory of Tabla maestro Late Ustad Amir Hussain Khan, established in 1994 for the promotion of the art of Tabla. The trust organises concerts of renowned artists of Indian classical music and dance, and also creates a platform for promising young artists. It also organises competitions for young students of Tabla. Pandit Arvind Mulgaonkar always played an active role in the organisation of these concerts and competitions.

In December 2012, Pandit Arvind Mulgaonkar’s multi-DVD set with an accompanying book, was released world-wide. The “Shades of Tabla” is an eclectic compilation of traditional compositions from renowned maestros of the six Gharanas of Tabla and has sold hundreds of copies across the globe.

Right up to the time of his demise, Panditji was conducting research on and compiling old compositions of all the Gharanas of Tabla, authenticating the original compositions of maestros and gurus, and classifying them accordingly.

A born artiste, Panditji spent his spare time sketching and painting, and has a collection of over a hundred nature-paintings and portraits that leave people spellbound.