Pandit Chhannulal Mishra from Varanasi is one of the greatest and most gifted classical vocalists of India. He can be reckoned among the all time great vocalists to hail from the ancient city of Varanasi, Playing on the ‘Swarmandal' Mishra holds his audience spell-bound with his mellifluous rendition, He has the distinction of being a Versatile Vocalist, equally proficient in classical and light classical music such as Khayal, Dadra, Thumri, Chaiti, Kajri,Sawani, Holi and Bhajan.
Chhannulal Mishra was born on the third of August 1936 at Azamgarh district , adjacent to Varanasi during British Rule.He had his first lesson of classical music from the late Pt. Badri Prasad Mishra, his father, Having been initiated into the nuances of music by his father, he moved from his place of birth (Village Hariharpur in district Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh), to learn music at the feet of Ustad Abdul Ghani Khan of the Kirana gharana until the renowned musicologist, the late Padmabhushan Thakur Jaidev Singh offered to groom his adolescent prodigy into the subtleties of Indian Classical music. This bond of the teacher and the student , (the master and the pupil ) was nurtured in the time honoured tradition of Guru-shishya parampara'.
Pt. Chhannulal Mishra has travelled extensively and has performed at numerous musical conferences and concerts both in India and abroad . He toured and performed at many places in the U.S.A.
He has released many albums which include a wide variety of melodic variations, all sung in his characteristic sensuous voice.
For his outstanding contribution in Indian classical music, he had been honored with several prestigious awards , Padam Shree and PadmVibhushan by President of India
He daily practices of his God blessed vocal art at his residence in Chhiti Gaibi area of Varanasi where fans remain assembled