Biography

Madhuvanti Pal was born in Kolkata in 1992 to a family of teachers dating back four generations. Her mother and father (teachers themselves) instilled a passion for learning in her from an early age. Whether in painting or sculpting, modeling or music, they always encouraged her to pursue her creativity. 

She began her musical life with khayal—a major form of North Indian classical music—at the age of 12. After studying for years as a vocalist and violinist, she felt drawn to an incredibly rare instrument: the rudra veena. This curiosity led her to Pt. Bala Chander, a disciple of Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar and Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar. Under his strict tutelage, Madhuvanti learned the essentials of dhrupad and the rudra veena, but couldn’t afford an instrument for herself.

In 2012, she began studying with Vidushi Mita Nag, the renowned Bishnupur sitar player. Encouraged by her new guru, Madhuvanti acquired her very first rudra veena. And it was terrible.

After years of study and struggle with a bad instrument, she set out on a journey to build her own veena. She traveled to Udaipur to learn veena building from Pt. Rajshekar Vyas, a man who dedicated his life to preserving the secrets of this artform. With his help, she built her first rudra veena from bamboo. 

Over the years, her skill as a rudra veena builder grew, so much so that she has since developed her own unique approach. Her instruments are noted for being lighter and easier to play than typical Dagar veenas while still retaining great sonic depth and beauty.

Madhuvanti's artistry has reached remarkable heights through several notable achievements. In 2023, she released "The Holy Mother," the first vinyl recording of rudra veena by a woman, through Sublime Frequencies. This album, recorded at her home using her own handcrafted instrument, sold out and garnered international acclaim. She has also self-published seven additional releases, including the recent Mornings, Evenings, and Nights of Bishnupur series.

In 2025, she performed alongside her guru Vidushi Mita Nag in what is believed to be the first known live concert featuring surbahar and rudra veena performed by women. She has also collaborated with A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer on a film score for what is reported to be the largest budget Indian film to date.

Her reach extends beyond traditional venues through her pioneering use of digital platforms. Madhuvanti's YouTube channel has become the largest in the world dedicated to dhrupad and rudra veena, with 24,000 subscribers and 2 million views, making this ancient art form accessible to a global audience.

Madhuvanti leads the Rudra Veena Gurukul in Kolkata where she teaches students from around the world. Drawing from her family lineage of teachers, she pursues her craft as a guru with as much passion as she does her own performance. If you’re interested in studying with her, click here.