S. Sowmya

A Carnatic musician by profession, Sowmya's life has been soaked in melody from the very beginning. Growing up in a traditional South Indian family, she had her initial tutelage in music from her father Dr. Srinivasan, a Chemical Engineer with an enduring passion for Carnatic Music. Later she was singularly fortunate to be taken under the wings of Sangita Kalanidhi Dr. S. Ramanathan - exemplary musician, esteemed musicologist and extraordinary human being. She received further training from Smt. T. Muktha, of the legendary Brinda-Muktha duo. She attributes her success and achievements till today to her gurus and to the bountiful blessings of her beloved Ambal, the Goddess Kamakshi of Kanchipuram. In addition to being an accomplished musician, Sowmya also has excellent academic credentials. She earned a Ph. D. degree in 2012 from the University of Madras under the guidance of Dr. Premeela Gurumurthy. Sowmya is also a double postgraduate (Master's in Chemistry as well as Indian Music) and was a top-ranked scholar at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M) and the University of Madras. Her desire to propagate the traditions of South Indian music worldwide led her to establish Carnatica, an institution dedicated to music & dance instruction, archival, talent search and other related activities. Its web portal is now a popular online destination for music-related information and discussions. A widely traveled, popular vocalist, Sowmya strives to adhere to the strict classical values imbibed from her gurus Dr. Ramanathan and Smt. Mukta.