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 the 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 at the beginning of the twentieth century. Two stalwarts of Indian music in this century, Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar and Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande led and developed two strong and parallel traditions of this institutionalization of music education and training system. In 1926, Pandit Vishnu NarayanBhatkhande established a music school in Lucknow with the help and co-operation of Late Rai Umanath Bali and Late Rai Rajeshwar Bali and other music patrons and connoisseurs of Lucknow.