My Compelling Story

Sharat has been working on the performing circuit for over 25 years, owing loyalty to the Senia Gharana. His distinct experimental approach led him to dabble with various genres of music. Sharat is both a classical musician and a rock musician. As one of the leading classical violinists in north India, he has toured in many different parts of the world giving performances of Indian classical music, and also as the leader of the Delhi-based fusion group called Mrigya. To this end, he was a noted member of India's premier rock band, Parikrama, for twelve years. They have performed extensively throughout the country, weaving their own expressive interpretation of trans-Atlantic rock, blues, metal and Hindustani classical music. His nascent ability nurtured since the age of seven by Late Pandit Joi Srivastava, the renowned violinist and his guru/grandfather, who lent him the rare understanding of the Dhrupad-Ang, a style unique to this Gharana under the Guru-Shishya Parampara. This and such grooming has put him on stage with the likes of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Pt Birju Maharaj, and as an acclaimed soloist was selected for Sahitya Kala Parishad's coveted Yuva Mahotsava. He is a recipient of the National Scholarship from the Ministry of Human Resources and Development, Government of India. In 1998, he got the opportunity to share the stage with STING in an all-acoustic set at the Channel V awards held at New Delhi. Sharat has performed across the globe in some prestigious music festivals like the New Zealand Arts Festival in 2004, The Great Arc Festival and The Little Chilli Festival (London), Druga Godba Festival (Slovenia), Singapore Arts Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Canada National Day (Toronto), Khajuraho Millennium Festival (India), and Dubai Jazz Festival, apart from numerous other shows. Apart from performing and doing studio work, Sharat has conducted masterclasses at the University of Edinburgh, Royal Scotland Academy of Music and Drama, University of Stratclythe, Glasgow, Scotland. Additionally, he has conducted workshops in Casa de la India, Valladolid, Spain and Winterthur University, Switzerland.