Shashwati Mondal

Shashwati Mandal is a Hindustani classical vocalist and a prominent torchbearer of the Gwalior gharana, the oldest surviving tradition of khayal singing. She was born in Gwalior into a family of musicians: her maternal grandfather, Pt. Balabhau Umdekar “Kundalguru,” was a court musician at the royal court of Gwalior and a respected singer of the Gwalior Gharana. Music became a natural path for her from early childhood.

Her initial training began under her mother, Smt. Kamal Mandal, who shaped her foundation with discipline and clarity. She later received a Department of Culture scholarship from the Government of India and studied under the veteran Gwalior gharana maestro, Pt. Balasaheb Poonchhwale. Under his guidance, she absorbed the finer nuances of Gwalior gayaki and received specialized training in Tappa, a vibrant semi-classical form. She continued learning from both her gurus until their passing, carrying their teachings and legacy forward in her art.

Her musical journey also includes brief but valuable training in Thumri with Purnima Chaudhuri, Dhrupad with the Gundecha Brothers (Umakant Gundecha and Ramakant Gundecha), and Ghazal with Sarbat Hussain. She later received the Mani Mann Fellowship from the Sanskriti Foundation to study with Madhup Mudgal in New Delhi. Alongside Gwalior tradition, she draws inspiration from Kumar Gandharva and the Jaipur-Atrauli repertoire, blending these influences into a personal yet rooted style.

Shashwati is admired for her full, resonant voice, clean phrasing, and precise taans and murkis. She is widely regarded as one of the foremost exponents of Tappa singing today. As a child prodigy, she began performing publicly at a very young age and has since appeared at major festivals and cultural platforms in India and abroad, including prestigious sammelans, international concert series, and global music forums.

She is a ‘Top’ grade artist of All India Radio and an empanelled artist of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. Her honors include the Shikhar Samman from the Government of Madhya Pradesh, fellowships from the Sanskriti Foundation and the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training, and recognition for her research on women composers in Hindustani music. She has also served as a staff artist at All India Radio and as an assistant professor of music at Mumbai University.

Now based in New Delhi, Shashwati Mandal continues to uphold the finest values of the Gwalior gharana while shaping a living, evolving classical voice for today’s audiences.