Posted on 3 August 2025:
Echoes of Grace: The Timeless Journey of Vidushi Dr. Shrabani Biswas
In the sacred corridors of Indian classical music, Vidushi Dr. Shrabani Biswas stands as a radiant torchbearer of the sitar tradition. A Top Grade Artiste of All India Radio and Doordarshan, she carries the legacy of her illustrious guru, Sitar maestro Padma Shree Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan, with depth and devotion. Her artistry is not just performance—it is prayer, precision and poetic resonance.
Currently nurturing young minds at the Bharatratna Pandit Ravishankar Interpretation Centre (Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi) in Varanasi, Dr. Biswas continues to shape the future of instrumental music with quiet brilliance. Her teaching blends tradition with tenderness, echoing the timeless spirit of the ghats and gurukuls.
Her presence in eminent Mani Kaul’s 1989 ‘poetic film’ Siddheshwari remains unforgettable. Portraying the young Siddheshwari Devi ji, Dr. Biswas embodied the soul of thumri and tappa, weaving biographical truth with mythic memory. Set against the haunting beauty of Varanasi’s medieval ghats, gullies and mansions, her performance became a living tribute to the legendary Vidushi Smt. Siddheshwari Devi ji.
Dr. Shrabani Biswas is more than a musician—she is a keeper of stories, a seeker of sound, and a serene force in India’s cultural landscape.
Strings of Scholarship: The Academic Journey of Vidushi Dr. Shrabani Biswas
Behind the soulful strains of her sitar lies a foundation built on deep study and unwavering dedication. Vidushi Dr. Shrabani Biswas is not only a celebrated performer but also a scholar whose academic path reflects her lifelong devotion to music.
“Born by the sacred Ganga in Varanasi, I first learned to sing beside my mother, Sadhna Devi—a gifted classical vocalist whose voice shaped my soul. At seven, while playing on the ghats, Pandit Dutikishore Acharya of the Maihar gharana held my hand and said, ‘Music lives in your palms.’ That moment became my beginning.” — Dr. Shrabani Biswas.
Dr. Shrabani Biswas studied B.A. (Hons) from Women’s College, B.H.U. in 1989, and was further enriched by her dual qualifications—Sangeet Prabhakar and Sangeet Praveen in Sitar—from Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad in 1988.
She earned her Doctorate in Sitar from the Faculty of Performing Arts, Banaras Hindu University (B.H.U.) in 1994, a milestone that crowned years of rigorous training and research. Her brilliance was recognized early—she qualified for the Junior Research Fellowship and Lectureship in 1991, affirming her role as both a thinker and a teacher.
In the same year, she completed her Master of Music (M. Mus) from B.H.U., receiving the prestigious Lata Mangeshkar Award for excellence in music.
Each degree, each accolade, is a note in the symphony of her life—where scholarship and artistry meet in perfect harmony.
Strings of Wisdom: The Teaching Legacy and Honors of Dr. Biswas
Vidushi Dr. Shrabani Biswas has spent decades nurturing the soul of Indian classical music through her teaching. Her journey began as an Assistant Teacher at the Faculty of Performing Arts, Banaras Hindu University, where she guided diploma students from 1991 to 1994 with quiet dedication and scholarly grace.
Her role as Senior Sitar Instructor at the SPK Academy—founded by her guru, Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan—has bridged continents, inspiring students across India and the United States.
Today, she continues to share her wisdom at the Bharatratna Pt. Ravishankar Interpretation Centre (Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi) in Varanasi, where tradition meets transformation.
Her excellence as a teacher and artist has been recognized with numerous awards. She received the Pandit Bhimsen Joshi National Award in Karnataka (2015) and the Smriti Irani Best Teacher Award (2016), celebrating her impact in the classroom and beyond. Earlier honors include the Ambedkar Award, Shatabdi Ratna Award, and Savitri Bai Phule Fellowship Samman—all in 2002—marking a year of remarkable recognition.
The Lata Mangeshkar Award from B.H.U. (1991) and the “Surmani” title from Sur Singar Samsad, Mumbai, further affirm her place among India’s finest musical minds.
In a luminous homecoming to Banaras Hindu University—where her artistry was first kindled and honed—Vidushi Dr. Shrabani Biswas was conferred the Kaustubh Ratna Samman 2025, a tribute to her unwavering devotion to the sitar. Her performance, staged in the very halls that shaped her musical journey from Master of Music to Doctorate, shimmered with grace and mastery, echoing years of disciplined pursuit and soulful resonance.
Each award is a reflection of her devotion, her discipline and her deep love for the sitar.
Resonance Across Realms: The Celebrated Performances of Vidushi Dr. Shrabani Biswas
From the sacred ghats of Varanasi to the regal halls of Jodhpur, Vidushi Dr. Shrabani Biswas has graced India’s most revered stages with her soulful sitar. Her performances are not just concerts—they are meditative journeys, where each note carries the weight of tradition and the freshness of emotion.
She has been a featured artiste at prestigious festivals such as the Kumar Gandharva All India Music Festival (Mumbai, 2016), Ganga Mahotsav (Varanasi, 2014 & 2024), and the Sankat Mochan Sangeet Samaroh, where her music echoed through the temple air like a prayer.
Her presence at the Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Music Festival (Gadag, 2017) and Haridas Sangeet Sammelan (Vrindavan, 2018) reaffirmed her stature among India’s classical elite.
Dr. Biswas has performed for the Royal Family at Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, and enchanted audiences at the Festival of Strings held at the Ambani Palace, Mumbai (2019). Her sitar has sung at the ICCR Programme Series, the Saptak Music Festival (Ahmedabad), and the Panchanaad Presentation at Pandit Bhatkhande Music Festival (Bhopal, 2019).
Her artistry has reached international shores through the Sarvakal Music Society in Canada, and her voice has resonated through the airwaves in the National Programme of Music by All India Radio (2009, 2011, 2014) and Akashvani Sangeet Sammelan (2016).
Whether at Subah-e-Banaras, Tirupati’s Nadaneerajanam, or the Jammu & Kashmir Art and Culture events, Dr. Shrabani Biswas brings a rare blend of grace, depth, and devotion—making every performance a timeless offering.
Echoes of a Legacy: The Disciples of Vidushi Dr. Shrabani Biswas
The true measure of a guru lies not only in her mastery, but in the light she passes on.
Vidushi Dr. Shrabani Biswas’s legacy shines through her disciples—each one a reflection of her grace, discipline and devotion.
From Yashuhiro Minamizawa, a senior sitarist in Tokyo, Mr. Dugal of Germany, Dogls Denial in Canada to Chie Nakayama in Japan, her music has crossed oceans, touching hearts and shaping traditions far from home.
Her guidance has also nurtured talents in Mauritius, with Ms. Nivritti carries forward the sitar’s soulful voice.
In India, her students—Mr. Yash Sonkar, Mr. Sandeep Shivsarom, Ms. Pooja Shivde, Mr. Kunal Dhara, Ms. Suhasini Sharma and Mr. Sayan—continue to grow under her watchful eye, weaving her teachings into their own musical journeys.
“My parents rejoiced in every note I sang, every accolade I earned. And when Padma Shri Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan accepted me as his senior disciple, my dreams found their true rhythm.” — Dr. Shrabani Biswas
“To every young seeker of sound—learn music, and let it guide you to a life free of stress. Music is meditation, peace and pooja. In its embrace, you’ll find shanthi, happiness and health.” — Dr. Shrabani Biswas
DR. SHRABANI BISWAS IS NOT MERELY A MUSICIAN—SHE IS A VESSEL OF TRADITION, A VOYAGER OF SOUND.
FROM THE QUIET SANCTUMS OF INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC TO GLOBAL STAGES AND NATIONAL BROADCASTS, HER VOICE CARRIES THE GRACE OF HERITAGE AND THE PROMISE OF TIMELESSNESS.
