Samyukta Ranganathan

Samyukta is a doctoral researcher at the Institute of Education, University College London, specialising in Carnatic and Hindustani voice production and pedagogy. She holds an MA in Professional Practice (Voice Pedagogy) from the Voice Study Centre, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, where her research focused on science-informed approaches to Indian Classical voice training, including acoustics, motor learning, and compassion-focused education. She also holds an MA in Climate and Society from Columbia University and a BA in Biology with a concentration in Environmental Studies from Bryn Mawr College. Trained extensively in Carnatic music under Sangita Kala Acharya Bombay S. Ramachandran and in Hindustani music under Pandit Sanjoy Banerjee, she continues to draw upon her dual grounding in practice and scholarship in her current doctoral research.

Her recent publications include contributions to Music and Arts in Action, Voice and Speech Review, and the Australian Voice Journal, exploring themes such as inclusion and belonging in music education, the intersection of Indian Classical music with voice science, and the decolonisation of voice research. She has presented papers at leading international conferences, including the ISME World Conference, the Pan-European Voice Conference, and VASTA, and delivered a keynote address at the Association of Teachers of Singing Summer Conference in 2025. Her academic work promotes integrative methodologies for understanding Indian classical vocal practice, linking science, tradition, and pedagogy while upholding a perspective of decolonisation and inclusivity. She is a founding member of the Transformational Voice Research Network (TVRN), a collective dedicated to advancing socially transformative and inclusive approaches to voice research.

Alongside her research, Samyukta maintains an active career as a teacher and performer in the field of Indian Classical voice. She is the founder of Samyukta Vocal Arts, where she teaches and mentors students locally and internationally. She has also led workshops and masterclasses in the US, UK, and India. As a performer, she has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Sadler’s Wells, the Lowry Theatre, and Lincoln Center, as well as collaborating across genres to create innovative fusions of Indian classical, Western classical, and contemporary music.

working thesis title

Voice, Perception and Cultural Pedagogy - An Indigenist Grounded Theory Study on Carnatic and Hindustani Vocal Styles

research interests

Carnatic and Hindustani voice pedagogy; acoustics in Indian Classical singing; ornamentation and vocal agility; decolonising voice research; compassion-focused and student-centred voice teaching