Rahul Sharma

Music's roots for Rahul Sharma reach back to Kashmir's rugged mountains. Uma Dutt Sharma, his grandfather, mastered the santoor—an instrument resembling the hammer-dulcimer—yet its abrasive timbre placed it outside both folk and classical repertoires; he refused to abandon it. Shivkumar Sharma, Rahul's father, perfected the santoor by testing alternate striking methods and tonal approaches. As Shivkumar's standing grew within Kashmir's musical community, accounts of his playing traveled across national borders and distant continents. Rahul Sharma upheld the family santoor lineage. Music drew Rahul Sharma from an early age, prompting frequent childhood singing and harmonium playing. He began santoor lessons at thirteen but reached certainty about a musical career only at seventeen. After completing economics studies at Bombay's Mithibai College, he started appearing onstage with his father. Real World Records issued the live recording Music of the Himalayas in September 2000, captured during a Turin concert that paired Sharma with percussionist Pandi Bhawani Shankar and tabla player Ustad Shafat Ahmed Khan. Sharma has since appeared across North America and Europe, as well as at folk and world music gatherings that include WOMAD.