IN PERFECT HARMONY

IN PERFECT HARMONY DR SUVARNALATA RAO speaks to Ravina M Sachdev about her journey that blends science, tradition, and a passion to redefine Indian music

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For Dr Suvarnalata Rao, Head of Indian Music at the National Centre of Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai, music was not a conscious career choice - it was simply a part of life. Growing up in Mumbai, surrounded by the sound of a Czechoslovakian violin and a Kolkata-made sitar, she began learning music at nine. “It was never a big moment of choosing music; it was just always there, something that naturally shaped how I saw the world,” she recalls. What began as a quiet, everyday practice soon laid the foundation for a deep and lasting journey through performance, research, and curation.