Ranjani Balasubramanian

Ranjani Balasubramanian (born May 13, 1973) and her sister Gayatri Balasubramanian form the celebrated Carnatic music duo Ranjani–Gayatri. Born in Mumbai into a Tamil Brahmin family, they began violin training at ages nine and six under Prof. T.S. Krishnaswami at Shanmukhananda Sangeet Vidyalaya. In 1997, at the insistence of their vocal guru Sangeeta Kala Acharya P.S. Narayanaswamy, they transitioned from violin accompanists to vocal soloists, marking the start of a celebrated concert career spanning over 39 years. They have performed globally as soloists, vocal duos, composers, and educators, and were awarded the Padma Shri in 2026 for extraordinary contributions to Carnatic music. Other honors include the Kalaimamani Award (Tamil Nadu, 2020) and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (2013).