Biography

Dr. Suma Sudhindra is a name synonymous with the Saraswathi Veena, known for her exceptional generosity within the arts. She is a trailblazer, breaking barriers and serving as an ambassador of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam. Her journey has been nothing short of phenomenal, as she revolutionized the Karnatic music world and carved out a unique niche for herself, all while defining the essence of women's empowerment.

What sets Dr. Suma Sudhindra apart is her non-musical family background, which brought a refreshing diversity to the arts. She remains a revered figure in music circles, commanding universal respect from her peers in the same generation.

Dr. Suma Sudhindra's legacy extends further as she became the first woman president of The Academy of Music, a traditionally male-dominated institution. In the early 70s, she defied conventions by embarking on solo world tours, challenging societal norms.

Beyond her musical prowess, she has displayed a humanitarian approach as a cultural entrepreneur. Dr. Suma Sudhindra has nurtured the entire ecosystem of the performing arts, supporting veena makers, auditorium staff, and technicians. Her festivals and outreach initiatives have included workshops and discreet financial aid to artists during the challenging times of the pandemic.

From her roots in the sacred musical traditions of Thanjavur, she has evolved to collaborate with some of the world's greatest musicians in fusion concerts. Notably, she pioneered Karnatic Jazz at the young age of 24. Her music seamlessly weaves together the traditional and modern, representing a rare achievement and a living testament to the rich cultural heritage of India.

The Indian music experience is a world-class legacy and a precious gift to India, and Dr. Suma Sudhindra has tirelessly committed herself for over a decade as the director of outreach. Her efforts have sowed the seeds of cultural and social awakening, reaching over 25,000 people every month and putting India on the global cultural map. Visitors to her space and audiences at her concerts are often left spellbound and speechless, their hearts filled with tears of joy and gratitude.

Dr. Suma Sudhindra is the foremost exponent of the Veena in her generation of Musicians. A very rare blend of classical conservatism with a belief in evolving to the present, her range of work has extended from scholarly to performances of immaculate skill and creative contours. Keen on making a global presence Suma’s works of experimentation have been applauded all over the world. Her unique Emani Chitti Babu style is vibrant, which has evolved in making the melodic sounds of the Veena a phenomenon of universal appeal.

Her recent contribution to the world of music is her own new innovation ‘The Tarangini Veena’ which has made a tremendous impact in the music circles. She was honoured with the “Rajyotsava Award” from the Government of Karnataka in the year 2001. She is also a recipient of the “Kalaimamani” award from the Tamilnadu Government. Recipient of “Veene Sheshanna National Award” in the year 2012 from Swaramurthy V N Rao Memorial Trust, and Ganakalabhushana from Karnataka Gana KalaParishat® in October 2014. She is the recipient of the Central “Sangeet Natak Akademi Award” for the year 2017.

An undying amount of energy, inspiration and dedication finds Suma entrenched today deeply within her various roles as a classical soloist, a contemporary composer, cultural activist, administrator, teacher, organizer and performer, where she integrates these roles for the faith of music in her journey of artistic explorations.

Suma has guided many students in their PhD programs. She has been an examiner for evaluating PhD theses at Bangalore University, Jain University and Tirupati Padmavathi University. She is a Doctorate holder for her thesis on string instruments and has taught P.G. Classes at the Department of Dance, Drama and Music at Bangalore University and taught students at Universities abroad. Recently she was honoured with an Honorary Doctorate from Akkamahadevi University, Vijayapura Nov 2021

She has done many lecture demonstrations in prestigious institutions like Madras Music Academy & at National & International seminars all over the world. She is a sought-after person for many workshops all over India and abroad. She has published many papers and is in the process of working on a Book on Veena. She also participated in the national seminar in October 2018 organised by Central Sangeet Natak Akademi.

It is her determination to not only be an adept and successful performer but to be part of the movement in the cause of music and that’s what gave her the impetus to take up official positions in various organizations. She is the Director – Outreach, at Indian Music Experience Trust, Bangalore & a member of the Academy Of Music, Chowdaiah Memorial Hall, Bangalore

The Bengaluru International Arts Festival, which took place in 2009 to date under her baton was extremely successful and initiated newer audiences to the world of Music and Dance.