(February 4, 2026) With the beauty of every note she sings, the resonance of the tanpura, and the immersive, almost divine alignment of swar, Harini Rao has mesmerised audiences across continents. From intimate venues in the United States to concert halls in Europe and India, her music has been described as contemplative, healing and deeply meditative.
“Audiences unfamiliar with raga music often approach it with curiosity and openness,” says Harini, founder of the Raageshree Foundation and Academy, a popular centre for classical music education in Hyderabad.
One of the most memorable performance was at the California Institute of Integral Studies which turned into an almost meditative experience with listeners lying down and drifting into sleep as the raga unfolded, only to awaken during the crescendo. “Funny, but deeply affirming. It was proof that the music had an impact,” reflects Harini, who has over 25 years of training in raga music and has performed across the US at venues such as the Indian Cultural Association of Albany, New York; Namaste Shenandoah, Virginia; and the Indian Cultural Association, Dallas. Her international performances in Amsterdam and Paris have further strengthened her global following.
A life before music took centre stage
For five long years, Harini worked as an accountant and tax professional. Alongside her job, she also turned entrepreneur, producing and selling terracotta jewellery that found buyers not only in India, but also in the US, the UK and Singapore.
But nothing made her happier than the sound of music, which had been an integral part of her growing-up years. Eventually, she gave up her job, shut down her business, and embarked on a musical journey — going on to become one of the leading Hindustani classical vocalists, winning praise from stalwarts and landing singing assignments in Telugu films.
“Music has been the only constant through every phase of my life. Everything else has come and gone,” smiles Hindustani vocalist, performer and teacher Harini Rao, in a chat with Global Indian.
Indian performances and recognition
Among the many highlights of her musical journey in India are her performances at the Taramati Baradari Festival organised by the Government of Andhra Pradesh in 2013, the prestigious Hyderabad Literary Festival in 2016, the Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore, and Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri, in October 2018, in the presence of Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya.
She has also sung as a playback singer in several Telugu independent and feature films, and was invited to perform at IndianRaga, the popular YouTube-based organisation that promotes Indian classical music.
Awards and acclaim
Harini won the Pandit Jasraj Award for Promising Talent and Excellence in Hindustani Classical Music in 2009, the Big FM Best Singer Award for the song Oka Lalana from the film Jyo Achyutananda in 2016, and the state-level Utkarsh music competition in 2006, judged by renowned singer Anup Jalota.
She has also received awards and recognition from stalwarts of Hindustani classical music such as Padma Bhushan Dr. Prabha Atre, Pt. Jasraj and Veena Sahasrabuddhe, as well as Carnatic vocalists including Malladi Suribabu, Sudharani Manda and the Malladi Brothers.
Building Raageshree: Teaching as practice
Harini took to teaching after being encouraged by her late guru, Swati Phadke, who urged her to begin slowly. Starting with just one student and a handwritten board outside her gate, Harini soon discovered that teaching strengthened her own musical fundamentals.
“What began ten years ago with two students has grown into a wide-ranging pedagogical practice,” says the singer, who founded the Raageshree Foundation and Academy in 2012 and has since been involved in teaching Hindustani shastriya sangeet and light classical music.
Raageshree is actively involved in the promotion of Indian performing arts. “I teach students of all ages, host workshops, listening sessions and lecture-demonstrations, and invite senior artists to demystify raga music for newcomers.” Over the years, the Raageshree Academy has trained more than 200 students in classical and semi-classical vocal music.
Swarukti and Raga Labs
Harini’s flagship workshop, Swarukti, is a voice-culture programme designed for singers, teachers, actors, speakers and anyone who uses their voice professionally. “Drawing from my musical training, voice workshops, yoga-based practices and breathwork, Swarukti focuses on sustainable and powerful voice use.”
She also serves as a creative lead and mentor at Raga Labs, where she leads select participants on innovation initiatives in Indian classical music. “I cherish my experiences at Raga Labs. It is creatively enriching, despite organisational challenges.”
Roots in a family of academicians
Born in Visakhapatnam, Harini studied in Kendriya Vidyalayas across several cities, finally completing her schooling at KV Pickett, Hyderabad. She grew up in an upper-middle-class family of academicians who deeply appreciated music, though they were not trained musicians themselves. “My home was filled with old Hindi film classics, along with the daily chants of Suprabhatam and Vishnu Sahasranamam,” recalls the singer.
As a child, Harini was equally drawn to sports. She played kabaddi, basketball and badminton, and while she was academically capable, classroom learning never held her interest the way extracurricular activities did.
The first notes
Her mother, Girija Rao, noticed Harini’s musical inclination early on and enrolled her in a traditional music class close to home; it was a decision shaped as much by instinct as by convenience.
Her first formal exposure to raga music came under the guidance of Pramila Naniwadekar, a revered teacher in Hyderabad. It was here that Harini’s love for singing truly took root.
As her family moved cities due to her father’s work, her music education became sporadic. Finding long-term teachers proved difficult until the family finally settled in Hyderabad, close to her grandparents. There, Harini found her first lifelong guru — the late Swati Phadke.
Foundations and fearlessness
“Under her tutelage for nearly 23 years, I absorbed the foundations of raga music, learning almost everything I know today,” says Harini, who was once painfully shy about performing during her school years due to stage fear — something she eventually overcame.
“Music transformed from fear to fascination. Slowly, I began to enjoy performing, participating in small concerts organised by my guru. What changed is hard to define but immersion in music altered everything.”
Learning from maestros
Encouraged by her guru, who felt Harini needed performance-oriented training, she went on to study under several maestros like Sudeshna Gupta, followed by Manjusha Patil, before finally finding her current guru, Anuradha Kuber, an exponent of the Bhendi Bazaar Gharana and a disciple of Dr. Arvind Thatte.
Under her guidance, Harini continues to refine not just her performance techniques, but also the art of deep listening. It’s a skill she considers foundational to raga music. “Training under a mentor of that stature develops far more than just repertoire. It changes how you listen, respond, and grow.”
Demystifying raga music
Harini’s mission has always been to remove the sense of intimidation around “classical” music. It’s a term she consciously avoids, preferring “raga music” instead. “The growing popularity of baithaks has played a key role in expanding audiences. These intimate gatherings bridge the gap between curiosity and understanding, preparing listeners for larger, longer concerts.”
She also sees the Guru–Shishya Parampara evolving into a more inclusive, accountable and accessible space, aided by the reach of social media.
Collaborations and the road ahead
Harini’s future plans revolve around collaboration, not just within music, but across dance, visual arts, pottery, sculpture and poetry. “There is space for everyone, and collaboration opens the mind,” she says.
Beyond raga music, Harini has a deep love for ghazals, Telugu Lalita Sangeetam, and poetry set to music. “Poetry becomes more powerful when it is musified,” says Harini, who was invited as guest faculty at the University of Hyderabad for the Masters of Performing Arts batch of 2022.
Off stage, Harini is passionate about fitness, especially weight training and enjoys cooking on her own terms, and has recently developed a love for nurturing houseplants, a hobby she proudly notes has improved after early failures.
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