HSBC-NCPA Promising Artistes Series

Dr. Varsha Agrawal (santoor)
Rutuja Lad (khayal)
(Approx. 105 mins) 

Dr. Varsha Agrawal started learning vocals and tabla at the age of six from Elahi Bakshji Jhalawar and Girdhari Lalji Dangi. She has since been learning vocals, tabla and santoor under the able guidance of Lalit Mahantji Ujjain who is a renowned tabla artiste and leading disciple of Kishan Maharaj of Benares gharana and Riz Ramji Desad of Delhi gharana. At present, Dr. Agrawal is the Gandabandh disciple of renowned santoor player Bhajan Sopori. She has been declared an “A” grade artiste of santoor by AIR (All India Radio) and has been empanelled with Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) as a classical solo santoor player. Over the years, she has performed across the country and abroad and at present, she is teaching in the music department in a college in Ujjain. Rutuja Lad was initiated into music from the age of five years by her parents Umesh and Tanuja Lad. She received her initial training from Bhalchandra Patre. She has also received training in Jaipur-Atrauli gharana from Dhondutai Kulkarni for around 12 years. She is also learning harmonium from Sudhir Nayak. She is currently being trained under Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande. Lad has won prizes in several prestigious music competitions. She also participated in Zee Marathi Idea SaReGaMaPa and was one of the top six finalists. She has secured second prize in AIR Music Competition 2017 in the category of semi-classical music. She has also been a part of international projects involving cross cultural collaboration.

Admission on a first-come-first-served basis. Members will get preferential seating till 6.20 pm