Kolkata scientist-singer Medha Basu to take Indian classical music on European tour

KOLKATA: Music’s role in human well-being is widely acknowledged, but for Medha Basu, a young scientist and Hindustani classical vocalist from Kolkata, it is also a subject of scientific inquiry.

As she sets off on a month-long European tour combining academic presentations with concerts, Medha brings together the worlds of research and performance in a rare confluence.A senior research scholar at Jadavpur University’s Department of Physics, Medha is pursuing her doctoral degree on the “Neurocognition of Music and Emotions”. Her work explores how Indian classical music can serve as a therapeutic tool for general well-being, delving into its perceptual and neurocognitive dimensions.

Backed by a fellowship from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, she has already delivered lectures at prestigious institutions across India and abroad.From September 14, Medha embarks on a six-week European journey beginning with an academic presentation at an international seminar in Porto, Portugal. This will be followed by more than ten concerts across Spain, Germany, France, and Switzerland, where she will present a diverse repertoire ranging from Durga Puja-themed songs to Hindustani classical and semi-classical renditions.

Musically, Medha represents the Patiala Gharana. She began her training under her mother Smt. Sujata Basu, continued at Shrutinandan under various teachers, and has since been under the tutelage of Padma Bhushan Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy (SRA), where she joined in 2017 and now continues as a senior scholar alongside Shri Brajeswar Mukherjee. She is also a faculty member at Shrutinandan, Panditji’s institution.Over the years, Medha has performed at major stages including NCPA Mumbai, IIT Kharagpur, Shantiniketan, Rajya Sangeet Yuva Sammelan, Pune, and Bangalore, as well as on television and digital platforms. Internationally, she has already performed in Brazil (São Paulo and Campinas), where her blend of scholarship and performance was warmly received.Medha is the recipient of the CCRT National Scholarship in Hindustani Classical Music from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and the Shrutinandan Art Music Scholarship.

These accolades reflect her commitment to both excellence in performance and academic rigor.By carrying her research insights into concert halls, Medha aims to highlight how classical music impacts the human mind and emotions beyond its artistic value. Her Europe tour is expected to be a step forward in advancing cross-cultural understanding of Indian music as both an art form and a therapeutic science.