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Sumana Ramanan

Sumana Ramanan

Journalist and writer

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  • The Secret Master
    • Recordings
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Sumana Ramanan

Seeking poise in life,
flow in writing and
control in music.

“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.”

Victor Hugo

WELCOME!

Over 2026, I will be expanding and refining my website.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS
involving The Secret Master:

Chennai: 6 June 2026
WHAT: Book launch organised by Westland Books and Prakriti Foundation.
a. I will be in conversation with the Carnatic singer, writer and activist T.M. Krishna.
b. Vishal Moghe, a senior student of Arun Kashalkar's, will give a khayal recital, accompanied by Sumith Naik and Niranjan 'Bharat' Hegde.
TIME: 6 p.m.
WHERE: The Lab@Shanta, T-Nagar.
ENTRY: Free, but RSVP required via WhatsApp to Harish at +91-9940620268.

PREVIOUS LAUNCHES/DISCUSSIONS:

Mumbai: 14 May 2026
An event at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research organised by the institution's Amateur Music Association that included a brief address by Pandit Arun Kashalkar; a discussion between Abhay Tole-Trivedi, dancer and researcher, and me; and khayal renditions by Aasavari Gondhali, followed by Mandaar Valuskar, both Arun Kashalkar's longstanding students.
>> Video recording coming soon.

Bangalore: 10 April 2026
A presentation on the book, followed by guided listening of a recital by khayal vocalist Mukul Kulkarni, at Courtyard Koota. A clip from my narrative:
>> https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-MiSejG8fgQ.

Mumbai: 29 March 2026
At Khaki Lab, Fort, a two-hour session in which I opened with a talk on the genesis, structure and genre of my book and then wove in historical narrative and aesthetic ideas about khayal into a recital by khayal vocalist Sugandha Laturkar.
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D9JbqtkmvU&t=3914s.

Kolkata: 17 March 2026
At Jadunath Bhavan Museum and Resource Centre, a unit of the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences. Introduction by historian Prachi Deshpande, followed by my presentation, then a conversation with khayal vocalist Ranjani Ramachandran, and finally, a Q&A.
>> Part 1: Introduction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZud-lAb4EU.
>> Part 2: Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44lVhs4lmrU.
>> Part 3: Discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3OjUKqscLo.
>> Part 4: Q&A: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNv6pljnSr4.

Guwahati: 26 February 2026
Talk at Lihaaz, followed by a recital by Hindustani vocalist Sabarni Dasgupta, the organisation's founder and guru.
>> Felicitation by the chief guest Nupur Burogohain. Video recording not available.



Dibrugarh: 21 February 2026
Session: At the Dibrugarh University International Literature Festival.
>> https://www.youtube.com/live/k2jrjJMf_fY?si=DIBuHhfPgPL86YVK.

Hyderabad: 6 February 2026
Session: At the History Literature Festival, Hyderabad, at the Hyderabad Public School in Begumpet.
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCOxTS_-C2k&t=15703s,
from the timestamps 3:05:00 to 4:35:30.

Pune: 24 January 2026
Launch: At the Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University. Discussion with Chetan Sharma, followed by a recital by khayal vocalist Ravindra Parchure.
>> Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWLqT1o-mhY&t=1s.
>> Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCt9gZCEtMw&feature=youtu.be.

Pune: 23 January 2026
Talk: At the Jaipur Gunijankhana, hosted by founder and khayal singer Radhika Joshi, followed by a recital by Samarth Nagarkar.
>> Radhika Joshi and me. Video recording not available.


Bangalore: 6 December 2025
Session: At the Bangalore Literature Festival. Here is the link to the session:
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ7TBl-9U18&t=2093s.

Singapore: 23 November 2025
Soft launch: At the Temple of Fine Arts.
>> https://youtu.be/sKKcALEyllk.

Bangalore: 8 November 2025
Launch: At the Bangalore International Centre. Discussion with Tejaswini Niranjana, followed by a recital by khayal vocalist Mukul Kulkarni.
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dAmYhB4Slc&t=3543s

New Delhi: 29 October 2025
Launch: At the Alliance Française auditorium. Discussion with Mrinal Pande, followed by a recital by khayal vocalist Mukul Kulkarni.
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqqZOIv_RBw

Sonipat: Ashoka University: 28 October 2025
Discussion: With Vighnesh Hamampura.
>> Video recording not available.


Mumbai: 15 October 2025
Launch: At the G5A Centre for Contemporary Culture. Discussion with Namita Devidayal, preceded by a short khayal recital by teenage prodigy Swara Joshi.
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTg41WZy_mQ&t=1001s

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