Founder

Dr. Monica Shah  (Ph.D. in Music)

Dr. Monica Shah is well-known Classical as well as Semi-Classical singer  from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. She is well versed in khayal gayaki as well as semi-classical compositions like thumri, dadra, hori, chaiti, bhajan etc.

Training:

Dr. Monica Shah is a prominent disciple of PADMA VIBHUSHAN , Smt Dr. Girija Devi, a great Thumri singer of Banaras gharana, also known as ‘THUMRI QUEEN’.

She is taking training under the guidance of DR. PRADIPTA GANGULI of Kirana Gharana.

She is influenced by the great maestro SHRI RASIKLAL ANDHARIA of  Kirana Gharana.  With utmost dedication and sincerity, she adopted the Style of Kirana Gharana and gharanedar gayaki of her Gurudada Pt. Rasiklal Andharia.

She has obtained her preliminary training with SHRI. LALJIBHAI CHAUHAN.

 

She was born at 21 Feb 1961 in reputed family of Ahmedabad.  Her father Shri Chandrakant Shah was an Industrialist and her mother Smt.Kala Shah was a sitarist. So since childhood, she was brought up in a musical atmosphere. Her family and in-laws have been a great support for her career. Her husband HITEN SHAH is a businessman.

Surmani Dr. Monica Hiten Shah has completed B.com in 1981. She has achieved a degree of Doctorate in Music (Ph.D.) in 2001, Sangeet Alankar (M.A.)  in 1987 and Sangeet Visharad (B.A.) in 1981.

Achievements:

She is awarded with Surmani Award in 1998, Gujarat Gaurav Puraskar (Government of Gujarat) in 2009, GCCI Award in 2009,  Sangeet Ratna and Navdeep Pratishthan Award in 1997, Shresth Sadhak Award and Pt. Omkarnath Thakur Award in 1993, Sangeet Shiromani Award in 2009, Krishna Priya Award 2010, Ahmedabad muncipal corporation award in 2013, Girnar Ratna Award 2014, Sandeepani Sangeet Ratna Award (Porbandar) in 2015, Surprabhaat Sanmaan (Riverfront, Ahmedabad) 2016, Baiju Samaroh Sanmaan (Mumbai) in 2007, Naadbrahm Sanmaan (Bose Instituite) in 2006, Award of Dariyapuri Sthanakvasi Jain Samiti in 2016, ‘Gujarat Manav Ratna’ Award  in 2022, Sangeet Sankalp Sanmaan (Bhilai) in 2019, Rotary Vocational Excellence Award (Ahmedabad) 2015, H.L. Achiever’s Award (H.L. Commerce College, Ahmedabad) in 2014, International Award (Emergence of new era in glass and ceramics- NEGC) 2017, Udgam Women’s Achiever’s Award in 2010, 97th Tansen Samaroh Sanmaan in 2021, Sanmaan from Praachin Kala Kendra in 2023,  and many more.

Performances:

Dr. Monica H. Shah has sung in more than 1500 concerts of classical, semi-classical ,music and bhajans.

She has performed in many musical concerts such as Saptak Samaroh in 2001, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2020(Ahmedabad), Baiju Sammelan in 1999(Mumbai), Tansen Samaroh (Gwalior), TanaRiri sammelan  in 2007, 2008 (Vadnagar), Trivarshik Sammelan in 2003, 2007(Bruhad Gujarat Sangeet Samiti, Gandharva Mahavidhyalaya) (Nadiad, Ahmedabad), Kumbha Samaroh in 2006 (Udaipur), Shastriya Sangeet Mahila Samaroh in 1998, 2006(Ahmedabad, Kachchh,  Mandvi, organized by Sangeet Natak Academy, Gujarat), Swami Haridas Sammelan in 1998 (Mumbai), Kal Ke Kalakar Sangeet Sammelan in 1998 (Mumbai), Hamare Kalakar in 1998(Mumbai), NCPA (Mumbai), Baiju Samaroh (Mumbai), Alldiyakhan samaroh (Mumbai), Kalke kalar (Mumbai), Sangeet Research Academy (ITC)(Kolkata), BHU(Banars Hindu University), Puna University (Puna), Praachin Kala Kendra (Gwalior) in 2021, and many more. She is giving her services by performing classical, semi classical and devotional programs at religious places, like Shivanand Ashram, Ambaji Mandir, Shrinathji, Ramkrishna Mission (Rajkot), Naroda baithak, Vallabh sadan, Jain temples. etc.

Moreover, she has also preformed classical concerts at Sur Singar, Swar Sadhana Samiti, Kala Gurjari (Mumbai), Surmilan (Rajkot), Kalayatan (Valsad), Nad (Surat), Triveni (Baroda), Sur Singar, Sangeet Kala Niketan run by Grammy Award winner Pt. Vishwamohan Bhatt(Jaipur), Sankalp (Ahmedabad,  Porbandar ) Nad Brahm, Bose Institute (Udaipur).

She was sent to Russia by Gujarat government, wherein she gave her melodies voice for classical dance for Kadamb Institute directed by Smt. Kaumudini Lakhia in Kremlin Palace.

Aradhana Sangeet Academy:

She is a successful director and founder of Aradhana Sangeet Academy (Ahmedabad). More than 150 students are taking training under her guidance.

She has completed her arangetram under guidance of Smt. Elakshi Thakor (Nritya Bharati) and sung more than 500 arangetrams. For this she has also taken trainings from Guru Shri Pathakudi Ramaswami in Karnataka Music.

She has established Aradhana Sangeet Academy in three branches:-
(1)Aradhana Listeners Club:- Where every month one artist from all over India performs. Members of Listeners Club appreciate and enjoy the melodious performance of the renowned artist. The main aim of Listeners Club is to spread the Indian Classical Music and give knowledge to students and members of academy.

(2)Aradhana Foundation:- Where each member is occasionally gifted studio recorded CDs by Academy.

(3)Aradhana Intelligence:- Where the Intelligent students, with financial crisis are given scholarship for classical music education.

ASA gives free training of music to the selected students of Sola Bhagwat vidyapith.

ASA is also teaching music to blind students of “Blind Men Association, Ahmedabad” to improve their life.

ASA is doing humble work for the students’ welfare. ASA is teaching them in concessional fees those who are not in a good financial standing.

ASA provides scholarship to bright music students.

Dr. Monica Shah is also a graded artist of AIR and Doordarshan.

Dr. Shah has written and published ‘SANGEET ARADHANA‘ book in 1 to 7 parts in Gujarati and English languages to spread Indian Classical Music.

She gave her voice in more than 24 CDs  in classical music, bhajans, kirtans, Jain stavans, stotras and mataji bhajans. She is also a composer.

She writes articles on music in newspapers like Divya Bhasker and Akila and Swar Setu magazine.

She writes article named ‘Sa Re Ga Ma’ every Thursday in “Akila”, a popular evening news paper of Rajkot.

Since last 15 years she is going USA and Canada for the concerts & workshops and teaching many students about Indian Classical Music.

Since last 40 years she is serving the music world with her melodies strong voice by concerts of authentic music.