"If the male synonym for the tabla is Zakir Hussain, then the female equivalent has to undeniably be Anuradha Pal." - Hindustan Times.
‘30 Leading Women of India’ & ‘a percussionist par excellence’ - India Today.
Hailed as the First Professional female Tabla Virtuoso in the world by the prestigious Encyclopedia Britannica, Who‘s Who journal of the World & Limca Book of Records (1991), Anuradha Pal started performing when she was barely ten and half years old.
Anuradha is the youngest & only female Indian musician to perform at the world-famous Woodstock Festival (2008) for 400,000 fans & WOMAD Festival (1999) for 150,000 fans.
‘Anuradha Pal has emerged as a colossus on the percussion firmament’ (Tribune, 2009) with her pristine performances having drawn comparisons with the ‘methodical intuition’ & ‘showmanship’ of her Gurus, the ‘presence’ of Pt. Kishan Maharaj, lure for ‘softness & detail’ of Pt. Samta Prasad & a ‘shooting madness for intrinsic fireworks’ of Ustad Ahmed Jan Thirakwa (New Indian Express, 2014)
Clarity, tonal balance, pinpoint precision in rhythm & an amazing repertoire, spiced with spontaneous creativity & a sparkling passion - as evidenced in the interactive stories in her exemplary ‘Tabla Jugalbandi with herself’, World Music band Anuradha Pal's Recharge & World‘s first all-female Indian Classical band, Anuradha Pal's Stree Shakti - have made her ‘the most influential female musician of Indian classical music’ (A. V Max Music Magazine, 2001).
Superbly trained by Tabla legends Late Ustad Alla Rakha & Ustad Zakir Hussain, she is an innovative soloist & multi percussionist, a versatile accompanist with some of the best Indian musicians and an enthusiastic collaborator with Jazz, African, Latin, Flamenco, Crossover Classical, Percussion, Pop, Rock & New-age music.
Anuradha Pal ‘stormed the male bastion’ of Indian rhythm, at the age of seven, when the Tabla was considered a strict No-Go zone for women, thereby ‘heralding a musical revolution’, shattering gender biases & empowering women to pursue more creative paths.
She was the Brand Ambassador for UNICEF in 2006 & NGOs like Population First, Ladli etc. for female empowerment, education & achievement. Lauded by Asian-American/ Indo American Who‘s Who Journal for ‘her well balanced musicianship & pioneering contribution as a trail blazer for societies around the World’
She has performed for dignitaries like Hon. President & Prime Minister of India & Queen Elizabeth of Britain at major diplomatic events like SAARC Summit & CHOGM Summit.
She was appreciated as a ‘Youth Icon’ & ‘Woman of Substance’ at Woodstock Festival and in corporate launches of Mercedes Benz, Siemens, Tanishq, CNBC TV18, Crisil, etc & has represented India at Asian Performers Summit (Japan, 1999) & Commonwealth Festival (UK, 2000).
Hailed as one of ‘Five prominent women musicians of India’ by BBC World Radio Service (1991), Anuradha composed the background score for M.F. Husain's film, Gaja Gamini which was highly appreciated at the Cannes Film festival, for its evocative & innovative approach.
Invited as an Artist-in-residence at the prestigious New England Conservatory, Anuradha has conducted workshops at Harvard University, Berkeley School, M.I.T (USA), Vienna Boys Choir, Palazzo Ducale (Italy), MilapFest (U.K). She regularly teaches at Anuradha Pal‘s Tabla academy in Mumbai & Online through Skype.
Anuradha has contributed in research for the ‘Relationship between Brain, Music & Language’ at Neurosciences University, San Diego & ‘Study of Tabla, Aesthetcs & Complexities’ at Harvard Science Center.