The history of music education in India dates back to the ancient period when all education was imparted in Gurukulas and Ashrams of great Saints and Rishi-Munis. The system of modern institutionalization of education in a graded, time-bound structure was ushered in by the British rulers from the mid-nineteenth century. Indian music education was brought and structured in this system in the beginning of the twentieth century. Two stalwarts of Indian music in this century, Pandit Vishnu DigambarPaluskar and Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande led and developed two strong and parallel traditions of this institutionalization of music education and training system. In 1926, Pt.Vishnu NarayanBhatkhande established a music school in Lucknow with the help and co-operation of Rai Umanath Bali and Rai Rajeshwar Bali and other music patrons and connoisseurs of Lucknow, a culturally vibrant princely state of Awadh. This institution was inaugurated by the then governor of Awadh Sir William Marris and was named after him as “Marris College of Music”. On 26th March 1966, the state Government of Uttar Pradesh brought this college under its control and aptly renamed it after its founder as “Bhatkhande College of Hindustani Music.”At the request of the State Government, the Government of India by a notification on 24th October,2000, declared this institute as “Deemed University “. Bhatkhande Music Institute is registered under the registration of Societies Act 1860 and is an autonomous institution. On 2nd November 2002 , Hon.H.E. the Governor of Uttar Pradesh consented to become the President of Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University. Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University has a very glorious history with exemplary achievements in the past. The alumni of this Institute are spread all over the world and many are in the active pursuit of music education and performance. Anoop Jalota, Dilraj Kaur, Malini Awasthi, Dr. Pornima Pandey are amongst the many such alumni. Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University is also a much sought after destination for seekers of music from Europe, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan,  Bangladesh and  Central and East Asian Countries. Many of these students from these countries are pursuing education in Indian Classical Music.