Anuradha Pal

Anuradha Pal is an Indian Tabla player and composer who performs Indian classical music. In 1996, she founded ''Stree Shakti'', an all-female classical music ensemble.

Early life

Pal was born in Mumbai, India to Devinder Pal, who worked in the pharmaceutical industry, and Ila Pal, a painter and writer. She trained in tabla under Ustad Alla Rakha and Ustad Zakir Hussain, both of whom are associated with the Punjab Gharana.

Career

Pal began accompanying Hindustani and Carnatic classical vocalists, instrumentalists, and dancers at the age of 13, and began performing with her teachers at 15.

In 2018, she led 217 tabla players in a tribute to Ustad Alla Rakha, celebrating his birth centenary.

In January 2018, she received the Ministry of WCD First Ladies Award from the President of India, recognizing her as the first Indian female musician to perform at the WOMAD and Przystanek Woodstock festivals.

She composed and performed the background score for M.F. Husain's film Gaja Gamini, using only tabla and voice. The score has been described as the first background composition created entirely on the tabla. Her work was also featured at the Cannes Film Festival.

Pal has conducted lecture-demonstrations and workshops at institutions including Harvard University, Berklee College of Music, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Vienna Boys' Choir, Palazzo Ducale (Italy), Milap Fest (U.K.), and Monash University (Australia). In 2006, she served as an artist-in-residence at the New England Conservatory of Music.

She represented India at the Asian Performer's Summit in Japan in 1999 and has performed at SAARC and CHOGM summits.

In January 2021, she organized the Aatmanirbhar Kala Ke Sangh Music Festival.

She performed at the Dior Fall 2023 show at the Gateway of India in Mumbai.

Compositions and collaborations

In 2023 and 2024, Pal performed a series of concerts titled "Anuradha's Tablas Sing Stories" and "Ramayana on Tabla".

Anuradha Pal's Stree Shakti is an all-female Hindustani- Carnatic instrumental ensemble founded on International Women's Day in 1996. The group has collaborated with various female musicians and performed at international music festivals. In 2002, they toured the UK and Ireland with the Pan-African Orchestra from Ghana.

The Anuradha Pal Collective was formed in 2023.

Social work

Contribution to female empowerment

Since 1996, Pal has supported and promoted female musicians through her band, ''Stree Shakti''.

She has performed at institutions such as Sri Agrasen Kanya PG College (Varanasi), Rebel Girls Interactive (Delhi), and Ruia College (Mumbai).

In March 2018, she wrote the lyrics to "Khud Ko Tu Pehchaan De" and composed the anthem for the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s Nari Shakti campaign.

She was appointed as a UNICEF Brand Ambassador for female empowerment, education, and inclusion in 2006.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pal mobilized funds and distributed food rations, blankets, and medical supplies to disadvantaged groups. This included women, children, the elderly, disabled individuals, as well as struggling musicians and instrument makers, provided in locations such as Kasniyawad village near Udaipur, across 12 villages, and in states including Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi or Maharashtra. From July 2020 onward, she also offered financial assistance to underprivileged communities.

On 8 May 2021, Pal and her husband donated medical supplies to a BMC COVID-19 care centre and to MLC offices in Mumbai.

On the International Day of the Girl Child in 2020, Pal established the Padmashri M.T. Vyas Stree Shakti Award, in memory of her grandfather—educationist Maganlal Tribhuvandas Vyas—to encourage young girls pursuing Indian music or dance to engage in social service. In 2021, she honored four young girls for their contributions to social initiatives, including promoting folk art, supporting cancer patients, raising environmental awareness, and fundraising during the pandemic.

Anuradha Pal Cultural Foundation (APCF)

The Anuradha Pal Cultural Foundation (APCF) is a non-profit organization to preserve traditional Indian culture, empowering women and youth, promoting unity in diversity, and raising environmental awareness. Pal also advocates for musical and rhythmic meditation.

APCF has received several honors, including the Mumbai Cultural Sustainability Award 2024 from the Vivekananda Youth Foundation, and the WOW Iconic Wellness and Spiritual Award 2023.

Media recognition

Pal has been featured in publications and media highlighting women achievers and musicians, including the children's book ''The Dot That Went for a Walk'' (2019), ''Torchbearers of Indian Classical Music'' (2017), ''Women of Pure Wonder'' by the Vodafone Foundation (2016), and the PBS film ''Adventure Divas'' (2001).

Personal life

Anuradha Pal is based in Mumbai, where she conducts percussion classes through the Anuradha Pal Cultural Academy (APCA Mumbai) in located in Juhu. Her tabla performances have been the focus of academic research by neuroscientists.

Discography

Anuradha Pal has released a diverse range of music albums and instructional DVDs through her independent label, Sur aaur Saaz, encompassing classical, fusion, and educational works.

References

External links

The Hindu year 2009Berklee College of MusicSouth Asian Women's NetworkWebsiteSur aaur SaazReport on DNAThe right note on www.masala.comClassical musical maestros world on Times of IndiaReport on Mid-dayoperatheatremadlenianum.comReport on New York Times

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pal, Anuradha
Hindustani instrumentalists
Tabla players
Indian drummers
Musicians from Mumbai
Indian women musicians
Indian women classical musicians
21st-century Indian women musicians
Women musicians from Maharashtra
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
Punjab gharana