Srivani Jade

President

Srivani Jade is a Hindustani Classical Vocalist of the Kirana Gharana. She has twice been a Visiting Artist with the Ethnomusicology Program in the School of Music at the University of Washington, and has received several grants from 4Culture as Master Artist. She has performed in India and abroad, and is Founder/Director of Gayaki Studio in Kirkland. She wishes to promote a culture of live classical music concerts in the Seattle area, and serves as President of Ragamala.

Suchitra Iyer

Secretary

Suchitra Iyer started her musical journey at a young age, learning Carnatic music from Smt. Muthumeenakshi in Chennai, India. After a break from music–including a move to the United States, a career in Human Resource Development, and raising a family–she resumed her practice in 2015, this time learning Hindustani music from Srivani Jade in Seattle. Suchitra brings her passion for music, her expertise in grants and promotion, and her calm ‘let’s get it done’ smile to the Ragamala Fundraising Team.

Ashish Vyas

Treasurer

Ashish Vyas developed an early love for music from his mother Smt. Durga Vyas, a Hindustani classical vocalist and teacher in New Delhi, India. Ashish enjoys playing the tabla, slide guitar or piano in informal baithaks. He has served the mission of promoting Indian classical music previously at Basant Bahar (San Francisco Bay Area) and brings a decade of that experience to Ragamala.

Dhananjay Mahajan

Board Member

Dhan Mahajan brings to the board an abiding interest in Indian classical music, and experience organizing events for various local non-profits. He has served both in technical and financial roles, and hopes to plug in as an 'all rounder' and scale up operations at Ragamala.

Manoj Deshpande

Board Member

Manoj Deshpande hails from Bagalkot (Karnataka), and grew up in a musically inclined family. He started learning Tabla from Shri R. H. More in his childhood years and won several prizes along the way. Since moving to Seattle, he studies with Shri Ravi Albright and has performed both solo and saath with visiting musicians. He brings audio engineering and other organizational experience to the Ragamala board.

Kshama Jambhekar

Board Member

Kshama Jambhekar is a Hindustani classical music "rasik". As a child, she learnt vocal classical and light music from Shr. Vinayak Mehendale in her hometown of Thane, and after a long hiatus has resumed her learning with Shri Kailash Kulkarni -- a student of Vidushi Lalith J Rao. She enjoys organizing and participating in informal baithaks in the Seattle area. She is very enthusiastic about bringing her love of classical music to other like-minded music lovers in the Seattle area via the concerts organized by Ragamala showcasing local and international talent.

Sampada Bhalerao

Board Member

Sampada Bhalerao comes from a musical family in Pune, India. She is the founding director of the Pacific School of Indian Music in Sammamish, where she has been teaching music for over a decade. She is a classically trained sitarist and vocalist, and has performed in the Pacific Northwest as well as in India. Currently, she is guided by Dr. Vikas Kashalkar (Vocal) and Dr. Ravindra Gadgil (Sitar). Sampada brings her experience as a teacher and community organizer in two countries, to the Ragamala Board.

Aditya Bhat

Board member

Aditya Bhat has been deeply passionate about Hindustani Classical music from a young age. His training in Hindustani vocal music started under Smt. Lalitha Rao, who is the wife of Pt. Parameshwar Hegde. He later transitioned to instrumental music, delving into the intricate tantrakari style of sitar taught by Smt. Sadhana Jayaram, the sister of the renowned Pt Shubhendra Rao. After a hiatus of a few years, he returned to sitar under the tutelage of Smt. Sampada Bhalerao. He is excited and deeply honored to serve as a board member of Ragamala. He believes that this will enrich his musical journey and allow him to contribute meaningfully to the vibrant Indian Classical music community.

Minal Guhe

Board Member

Minal Guhe is a Hindustani classical vocalist based in Seattle. Outside of her musical pursuits, Minal has built a career in the technology industry. At Ragamala, Minal brings her lifelong dedication to and passion for Hindustani classical vocals. Her musical background allows her to offer a unique perspective and approach at Ragamala. She is enthusiastic about having an outlet at Ragamala to explore her creativity through music and potentially introduce her colleagues and network to the rich world of Indian Classical music. She hopes to build understanding and appreciation for the art while finding fulfilling self-expression.

Sheetal Patwardhan Bapat

Board Member

Sheetal Patwardhan Bapat has been in the Seattle area for 12 years. She is a Montessori teacher, a Hindustani classical and Marathi light vocal music teacher. She started learning Hindustani from her mother Smt. Shilpa Patwardhan and continued learning with Mr. Chandrasekhar Vaze. She continues her learning journey through training under Smt. Srivani Jade. She has performed in many Marathi, Bollywood, Tamil and Malayalam concerts. She believes the kind of support Ragamala provides to the local talent in Seattle is truly impactful. She is very excited to be on the board and believes it will be an enriching musical experience as well as a lot of fun working with the incredibly supportive and caring Ragamala community.

Ramesh Gangolli

Advisory Board Member

Ramesh Gangolli is a founding member of Ragamala (est.1981), and brings several years of experience as Past President to the Ragamala board. Apart from a career in Mathematical education and research at the University of Washington, he also maintains a serious interest in the classical music of North India and has taught in the Ethnomusicology Program in the School of Music. He trained as a vocalist under the guidance of several well-known vocalists of India, and has also been engaged in the study of the texts of the oral repertoire of the hereditary lineages of musicians of North India.

Shannon Dudley

Advisory Board Member

Shannon Dudley, professor of Ethnomusicology at the University of Washington School of Music, holds a PhD from the University of California at Berkeley. He teaches courses that include music of Latin America and the Caribbean, American popular music, Music and Community, Comparative Musicianship and Analysis, and graduate seminars in Ethnomusicology. He also directs the UW steelband.