Sunanda Sharma

Vidushi Sunanda Sharma was born in Dah, a village in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, into a family with a strong musical background. Her father, Pandit Sudarshan Sharma, was a classical violinist and became her first guru. She began learning music in early childhood, initially training on the veena and later moving into vocal music. By the age of nine, she had already started performing.

After completing her schooling in Himachal Pradesh, she pursued higher education at Punjab University, Chandigarh, where she specialized in music and completed a master’s degree in Indian classical vocal music, graduating with a gold medal.

A defining phase in her artistic development began when she was noticed by Padma Vibhushan Dr. Girija Devi during a performance at the Hariballabh Sangeet Sammelan in Jalandhar. Dr. Girija Devi accepted her as a disciple, and Sunanda subsequently underwent rigorous training under the guru–shishya parampara, living and learning in Banaras and Kolkata for nearly nine years. During this period, she also received guidance and blessings from senior musicians such as Pandit Kishan Maharaj and Ustad Bismillah Khan, deepening her grounding in rhythm, phrasing, and stylistic nuance.

Her repertoire spans khayal and a wide range of semi-classical forms, including thumri, dadra, chaiti, kajri, and tappa. Alongside classical material, she also presents folk and devotional music from Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, integrating regional traditions into a classical framework.

Sunanda has performed at major platforms across India, including the Tansen Sangeet Sammelan (Gwalior), Sangeet Natak Akademi concerts, Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Pracheen Kala Kendra, Pancham Nishad, the Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj, NCPA Mumbai, and the Stein Auditorium at India Habitat Centre. Her international appearances include venues and festivals such as the World Voice Festival (Germany), Théâtre de la Ville (Paris), Cadogan Hall (London), Fondazione Giorgio Cini (Venice), the Asian Music Circuit (UK), and cultural events in Norway, South Africa, and other countries.

She has released several solo recordings, including Dharohar (2000), Swar Sanchay (2003), and Sur Ganga (2014). In addition to performance, she has been involved in teaching and outreach, including visiting engagements at institutions in the United Kingdom. She also founded the Living Music Society for Arts, an initiative aimed at presenting thematic and cross-genre musical projects.

Sunanda Sharma’s career reflects sustained engagement with the Banaras vocal tradition, combining long-form classical practice with semi-classical and regional repertoires across Indian and international stages.