Shubhendra Rao

Subhendra Rao is an Indian composer and sitar player who stands at the meeting point of classical depth and global dialogue. Born in Mysore, Karnataka, he grew up in a home shaped by music. His father, N. R. Rama Rao, one of the earliest disciples of Pandit Ravi Shankar, initiated him into the sitar, while his mother, Nagaratna, a trained veena player, nurtured his musical sensitivity. His sister, Sadhana Jayaram, is also a sitarist and teacher.

At the age of seven, Subhendra took his first lesson from Pandit Ravi Shankar. Guided by his guru, he later moved to Delhi to live and learn in the true guru-shishya tradition. These years became a period of deep transformation, marked by long hours of daily practice and close observation of his teacher’s life and art. Ravi Shankar shaped him not only as a musician but as a complete artist, teaching discipline, humility, and vision.

An important part of his growth came through assisting his guru in concerts and orchestral works. He appeared on stage with Ravi Shankar in major productions and toured internationally, gaining firsthand experience on the world stage. His own solo career began soon after, and he went on to perform at leading venues such as Carnegie Hall, Broadway, the Kennedy Center, the Sydney Opera House, Théâtre de la Ville in Paris, and major festivals across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. In India, he has been a regular presence at Dover Lane, ITC Sangeet Sammelan, Harballabh, Saptak, and other renowned platforms.

Subhendra holds an ‘A’ Grade status with All India Radio and is empanelled by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations as both a performer and a guru. He is frequently invited by universities worldwide to present lecture-demonstrations on Indian music.

A passionate collaborator, he works with artists across cultures and genres, including pipa, jazz, Persian, and world music traditions. Many of these collaborations are created with his wife, cellist Saskia Rao-de Haas. Together, they have composed for dance, theater, and special cultural projects, creating works that connect traditions across continents.

As a teacher, he continues the age-old guru–shishya parampara, guiding students from around the world. Through the Shubhendra & Saskia Rao Foundation, he also works to bring music education to underprivileged children, believing that music is every child’s birthright.

Married to Saskia Rao-de Haas, he is also a father, nurturing the next generation in both life and art. Through performance, composition, and education, Subhendra Rao remains a vital voice in presenting Indian classical music to the world with integrity and imagination.