Updated October 2026: this article has been expanded into a full guide to Kaushiki Chakraborty's life, training, film songs and essential recordings. Vishal Dudhal's original 2021 article is preserved in full further down the page.
Kaushiki Chakraborty (often spelt Chakrabarty) is a Hindustani classical vocalist of the Patiala gharana, born in Kolkata on 24 October 1980. She is the daughter and disciple of the khayal singer Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty, and she is best known for khayal and thumri, sung with a bright, agile voice and very fast, clean taans. Alongside her concert career she has sung for Hindi, Bengali and Tamil films, appeared on Coke Studio @ MTV and founded Sakhi, an all-women classical ensemble.
This guide covers who she is, how she trained, the film songs worth hearing, Sakhi and her newer independent work, and a short listening path if you are coming to her for the first time.
Who is Kaushiki Chakraborty?
Kaushiki grew up inside the music. Her father, Ajoy Chakrabarty, is one of the leading khayal singers of the Patiala-Kasur style, a Padma Shri (2011) and Padma Bhushan (2020) recipient, and the founder of the Shrutinandan music school in Kolkata. Her mother is Chandana Chakraborty. Kaushiki studied philosophy at Jogamaya Devi College and then took a master's degree in philosophy at Jadavpur University, while her concert career was already under way.
In 2004 she married the Hindustani vocalist Parthasarathi Desikan, and the couple have a son, Rishith. Recognition came early: the Jadu Bhatta award in 1995, a BBC Radio 3 Award for World Music in the Asia-Pacific category in 2005, the Sangeet Natak Akademi's Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar in 2010 and the Aditya Birla Kalakiran Puraskar in 2013.
Training and the Patiala gharana sound
She began formal lessons at about the age of ten at the academy of Jnan Prakash Ghosh, who had also taught her father, and then trained at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy in Kolkata, graduating in 2004. Her father has guided her throughout. From 2002 she also studied Carnatic music with the great Balamuralikrishna, which explains the South Indian turns of phrase that occasionally surface in her concerts.
The Patiala gharana is most closely associated with Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, and it is known for intricate, rhythmically adventurous taans, rich ornamentation and a strong thumri tradition. You can hear all of that in Kaushiki: quick runs that stay precise at speed, a fondness for decoration that never clutters the raga, and the ability to move from a serious khayal to a playful thumri in the same evening.
Kaushiki Chakraborty's film songs
Playback is a sideline for her, but a rewarding one. Every credit below was checked against the soundtrack listing.
- Vaishnava Janatho (Water, 2005): a duet with her father on A. R. Rahman's soundtrack for Deepa Mehta's film. The bhajan itself is Narsinh Mehta's; Rahman gave it a new orchestration with a chorus behind the two voices.
Vaishnava Janaiho | A. R. Rahman | Water - Paata Jhora Brishti (Chaplin, 2011): a Bengali rain duet with Shaan, composed by Indradeep Dasgupta with lyrics by Srijato.
Pata Jhora Bristi | Chaplin | Shaan, Kaushiki Chakraborty - Rahoon Tere Peechhe (Paanch Adhyay, 2012): a Hindi song inside a Bengali film, composed by Shantanu Moitra with words by Swanand Kirkire, the same pair behind her Coke Studio kirtan.
Rahoon Tere Peechhe | Kaushiki Chakraborty - Rang Si Hui (Gulaab Gang, 2014): one of three songs she sang for Soumik Sen's film, along with Dheemi Dheemi Si and Ankhiyaan. Sen composed and directed, and Neha Saraf wrote the lyrics. All three lean on her classical training rather than hiding it.
Rang Se Hui | Gulaab Gang | Kaushiki Chakraborty - Tu Srotu Hai (Vishwaroop II, 2018): Ghibran's composition, sung with Kamal Haasan and Master Karthik Suresh Iyer. The Tamil version, Naanaagiya Nadhimoolamae, uses the same three voices.
Tu Srotu Hai | Vishwaroop 2 | Kamal Haasan - Teri Arzoo Mein (Shikara, 2020): a duet with Papon for Vidhu Vinod Chopra's film, composed by Sandesh Shandilya with lyrics by Irshad Kamil.
Teri Arzoo Mein | Papon, Kaushiki Chakraborty | Shikara
Coke Studio, Sakhi and Pankh
Many listeners first met her through Lagi Lagi, a Bengali kirtan she sang with Shantanu Moitra and Swanand Kirkire on Coke Studio @ MTV Season 2 in 2012. It proved that a classical singer could carry a television fusion set without diluting her style, and the performance is embedded in the original article below. For more highlights from the show, see our guide to the best Coke Studio songs.
Sakhi is the all-women ensemble she formed, with Shaoni Talwalkar on tabla, Mahima Upadhyay on pakhwaj, Debopriya Chatterjee on flute, Nandini Shankar on violin and Bhakti Deshpande dancing Kathak. Its first programme was scheduled for January 2015, and the group performed at Carnegie Hall in October that year. The idea was simple and overdue: a whole classical stage, percussion included, led by women.
In 2025 she released Pankh, an independent project made with Shantanu Moitra through Blue Dot Productions. It is a live autobiography in six episodes on her YouTube channel: in each one she tells a story from her life, including growing up as Ajoy Chakrabarty's daughter, and closes with a song. The six songs run from Baithi Hoon to a closing Tarana, and she wrote the lyrics for two of them.
Pankh | Tarana | Kaushiki ChakrabortyWhere to start listening
Begin with the short Raag Bhimpalasi from the Darbar Festival, which is embedded in the original article below: five minutes of afternoon khayal that shows her voice, her control and her taans in miniature. Then move on to these:
- Raag Shudh Sarang (Darbar Festival): another compact Patiala khayal, about seven minutes, and a good test of how fast and clean her runs can be.
Raag Shudh Sarang | Kaushiki Chakraborty | Patiala Khayal | Darbar Festival - Raag Puriya Kalyan (Darbar Festival): an evening raga, slower and more searching, at around nine and a half minutes.
Puriya Kalyan | Kaushiki Chakraborty | Patiala Khayal | Darbar Festival - Raga Malkauns (Bengal Classical Music Festival, 2015): a full concert performance of about fifty minutes, for when you want to hear how she builds a raga at proper length.
Raga Malkauns | Kaushiki Chakraborty | Live at Bengal Classical Music Festival 2015
If you prefer albums, her catalogue begins with Footsteps (1998) and A Journey Begins (2002). Pure (2004) captures a London concert from August 2003 with her father on harmonium, and The Best of Kaushiki Chakraborty is a handy compilation. After that, the film songs above, Lagi Lagi, and Sakhi's Ojani in the original article round out the picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kaushiki Chakraborty's father?
Her father is Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty, a Hindustani classical vocalist of the Patiala-Kasur tradition, Padma Bhushan recipient (2020) and founder of the Shrutinandan school in Kolkata. He was also one of her principal teachers, and they sing together on Vaishnava Janatho in the film Water.
Is it Kaushiki Chakraborty or Kaushiki Chakrabarty?
Both spellings refer to the same singer and both appear in film credits and press coverage. Her official website uses Chakraborty, while Chakrabarty matches the usual spelling of her father's name. Her full married name is Kaushiki Chakraborty Desikan.
Which gharana does Kaushiki Chakraborty belong to?
The Patiala gharana, the tradition associated with Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. She is also trained in Carnatic music, which she studied with Balamuralikrishna from 2002.
What are Kaushiki Chakraborty's best songs?
For classical music, start with her Darbar Festival recordings of Raag Bhimpalasi and Raag Shudh Sarang. For lighter music, try Lagi Lagi from Coke Studio @ MTV, Rang Si Hui from Gulaab Gang, Teri Arzoo Mein from Shikara and the songs from her 2025 project Pankh.
Has Kaushiki Chakraborty sung in Bollywood films?
Yes, though not often. Her Hindi film credits include Water (2005, on A. R. Rahman's soundtrack; see our ranking of A. R. Rahman's best albums for more of his work), Gulaab Gang (2014), Vishwaroop II (2018) and Shikara (2020). She has sung more regularly in Bengali films.
Our Original Article (2021)
Vishal Dudhal wrote this article in January 2021. It is preserved below as originally published.
Life and introduction
Kaushiki Chakraborty is an Internationally acclaimed young classical musician and playback singer. She sang for various Hindi, Tamil, and Bengali films. Kaushiki is the torchbearer of the Patiala Gharana classical music; thus, fusion in music is not in her genre. Kaushiki’s nuanced knowledge of classical music and style owes to her combing at the prestigious Sangeet Research Academy. She has also incorporated contemporary aspects of Indian pop music in her music.
Padma Bhusan jeweled Classical Singer Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty is the father of Kaushiki, and Chandana Chakraborty is her mother. Kaushiki was born in 1980 in Kolkata. Jnan Prakash Gaur, who happens to be Ajoy Chakraborty’s guru, was also Kaushiki’s mentor when she started learning classical music. Kaushiki expertise in Raag, Thumri, Khyals, and South Indian Classical music. Kaushiki formally started learning music at the age of ten though she sang her first song at 7 in Calcutta Rowing Club. She graduated from ITC at the age of twenty in 2004. Academically she has a master’s degree in Philosophy from Jadavpur University, Kolkata. In 2004, Kaushiki got married to a Hindustani classical singer, Parthasarathi Desikan, and has a son, Rishith.
Awards, career, and recognitions
Kaushiki has been singing on various prestigious platforms and is recognized as a talented emerging classical Indian singer. She has performed at Dover Lane Music Conference, Kishori Amonkar memorial music program at Pune, National Centre for the Performing Arts, live performances at coke studio, Darbar festival, and ITC Sangeet Sammelan. Moreover, the spring festival of music in California, Sawai Gandharv Bhimsen Sangeet Mahotsav, Parampara programs are some of the platforms on which Kaushiki performed and applauded for her uniqueness and crispness of Classical music.
Kaushiki is the young recipient of the BBC Award (2005) for her achievements in classical music. She was 25 at that time and was starred as the brightest emerging classical vocal singer. She has been adorned with Ustad Bismillah Khan Puraskar 2010 by Sangeet Natak Academy, Aditya Birla Kalakiran Puraskar (2013), “Shera Bangali Samman 2017” by ABP ANANDA, and Jadu Batta Award (1995) are some of the notable ones.
Kaushiki’s prominent numbers as a playback singer are in movies as Water (2005), Chaplin (2011), Tirumannam Ennum Nikkah (2014), Rajkahini (2014), Mirzya (2016), Gulab Gang, Rahoo tere peechey, Kutti Puli, and Aroni Tokhon (2017).
Darbar Festival (Darbar festival Season 8)
The UK registered non-profit initiative called Darbar Arts Culture Heritage Trust has come to the forefront to introduce the melody and heritage of classical Indian dance and music to a global audience in 2005. The festival lasts for about three months in London. It is a platform where budding classical singers get footage. Live performances of the legends as Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Shahid Parvez, Pandit Rajan Mishra, Kaushiki Chakraborty, Ronu Majumdar, Pandit Jasraj, Prabha Atre, and Sudha Raghunathan, and many more can be seen, and that is a life-changing event.
The soulful performance of classical music by renowned artists regales the audience longing for more. Kaushiki is the leading light of the Patiala Gharana. With the enthralling performance by Kaushiki at the Finale of the festival, the audience was spellbound. The splendid, ingenious, and fiery power-packed performance of Kaushiki stole the event. She explored ragas at midnight along with Talwalkar, and Khan was magical and unique. Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London was dripped in the fervor of classical Indian charm.
Exquisite Afternoon Raag Bhimpalasi | Kaushiki Chakraborty | Patiala Khayal | Music of IndiaCoke Studio @ MTV Season 2
Live studio-recorded numbers are recorded and broadcasted on television at a television programmed, Coke Studio @ MTV. Coke studio has an amalgamation of pure Carnatic music, Hindustani Classical music, Indian folk, hip hop, pop, and rock music. Season 2 was premiered on 7th July 2012 on MTV and Doordarshan. Every episode of the show has personal music made by music composers. Kaushiki Chakraborty performed in one of the episodes of Coke Studio @ MTV Season 2. Kaushiki sang the song ‘lagi lagi,’ thus breaking the singing barrier only classical and thumri. The song was received well by the listeners. Her singing style has become a recognition for her after season 2 of Coke Studio @ MTV. The biggies of music were smitten by the voice quality and right notion of the song by Kaushiki. In her interview with Telegraph Online, Kaushiki expressed her initial hesitance in singing the kirtan “lagi lagi” and its success and recognition.
Lagi Lagi - Shantanu moitra feat Kaushiki Chakarvarty & Swanand Kirkire, Coke Studio @ MTV Season 2Musical Group “Sakhi”
It is an initiative to celebrate the essence of womanhood via music and dance. “Sakhi” is an all Indian Woman Classical Band with Mahima Upadhyay, Kaushiki Chakraborty, Nandini Shankar, Debopriya Chatterjee, and Savani Talwalkar, and Bhakti Deshpande as core band members. The effort is made to highlight the folk-music tradition and showcase all aspects of womanhood by highlighting the mythological characters as Ganga, Sarasvati, Lakshmi, Durga, Sita, Radha, Draupadi, Kunti, and Meera. These women characters have considerable contributions to Indian Classical music and dance but are unfortunately buried in the incognito.
Daughters and disciples of renowned Classical music legends have taken the stage to accomplish the Sakhi initiative. The vocalist’s father, Ajay Chakraborty, alludes that Kaushiki got this inspiration for “Sakhi” from Ustad Zakir Hussain. The unique idea of percussion by females has broken the stereotype and underlined the persona of female artists.
Kaushiki is the producer of this initiative, and the debut performance was done at Kalamandir in January 2015. A stunning debut performance was done in Jakarta, Indonesia, by Sakhi band with the theme of celebrating the experience of womanhood through classical Indian songs and dance.
OJANI - The Light Within | SAKHI | Kaushiki ChakrabortyOther famous albums
Kaushiki has been the recipient of BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music in 2005. Some of the albums of Kaushiki are summed in “The Best of Kaushiki Chakroborty.” From 2002 to 2017, twenty-seven albums of Kaushiki have appeared, including A journey begins, Hamaro Pranaam Jhanak, Karvaan, Kadambari, Gaayeja, Parapaar, Boon, Hanuman.com, Shunyo Awnko, Sondhey Naamar Aagey, Hrid Majharey, Manomay are some of the favorite albums of Kaushiki.
Kaushiki managed to widen her audience base due to liquidity, impromptu performances, and a clear singing style. She is the brightest emerging vocal singer who managed to enthrall International audiences. Her kirtan song “lagi lagi” at MTV coke studio has been a landmark among music lovers. Kaushiki hosts a Bangla Talk Show, “Gaan golpo Gaan,” for her potential audience who adore Indian music. She has initiated a platform for young talented classical singers to make space in the music world.
