Navarathiri Chamber Concert
Sunday, 28th September 2025|4:00 pm EDT
Shylaja Mani – vocals
Laya Raghav – violin
Harsha Mandayam Bharathi– mridangam
Sukanya Chand – dance
Jayanthy Prakash – tambura
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Dr Shylaja Mani is a Carnatic music singer, learner, enthusiast and philanthropist. She began learning Carnatic music at the age of five from Smt Janamma David. She accompanied her guru and performed on All India Radio and Doordarshan when she was eight years old. She then furthered her musical journey under her guru from whom she learns till today- Dr Usha Prasad, an accomplished teacher holding a doctorate in Indian classical music from University of Madras, disciple of the Multifaceted Veteran Musician Madhurai Sri. G. S. Mani and wife of Mridangam Maestro Sri.K.V.Prasad.
Dr Shylaja has performed in numerous concerts during the Navratri and Margazhi seasons and has received prizes in music competitions such as Hamsadwani and Rasika Ranjini Sabha. She regularly performs at cultural events in Sri Venkateswara Temple of Central Ohio and Vindhya Cultural Association. In 2025, she was awarded best singer in the adult category in the Dhvani music competition. Throughout the Margazhi season of 2025, she conducted a musical project titled “Thiruppavai and its significance” which was appreciated by many senior citizens in India.
Dr Shylaja is a Hematologist and Oncologist by profession at Columbus Oncology and Hematology Associates in Columbus, Ohio. Carnatic music has influenced both her personal and professional life. As a medical student at PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, she researched music therapy and pain management, receiving funding from the Indian Council of Medical Research. Throughout the strenuous years of her medical training, she continued learning Carnatic music under the able guidance of Dr Vijeyajeya, HOD of Carnatic music at PSG Institutions. She devotes time to learning and practicing music despite her busy work life, and engages with her young children, who are aspiring musicians, at a deeper level through the medium of music.
Sukanya Chand is a Performer, Teacher, Choreographer, who specializes in the Indian classical dances- Bharatanatyam and Odissi. She has studied and continues to study with renowned teachers and institutions. Sukanya is grateful to Padmashri awardee Dr. Ananda Shankar Jayant in Secunderabad for giving a strong foundation in dance. She joined Temple of Fine Arts in Chennai, where she was nurtured by Guru Suryakala and she was introduced to Odissi by Smt. Geetha Shankaran Ket. When Sukanya moved to USA, she explored other dance forms like Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Flamenco. She is Thankful to Gurus like Dr. Rohini Dandavate, Dr. Kaustavi Sarkar, Smt. Smitha Magal, Smt. Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala, Shri Shyamjith Kiran and Smt. Viraja Mandhre for furthering and enhancing her dancing skills and knowledge. She is currently being mentored by Sumathi Chandra for Odissi and Mavin Khoo for Bharatanatyam.
Sukanya has choreographed and performed in numerous dance productions, collaborating with various artists to create traditional as well as contemporary dance presentations. She has been invited to present Workshops and performances at schools, Universities and Festivals in Ohio, India, Malaysia and Australia. She organizes and produces shows through her dance school ‘Natya Nirvana’, with a mission to enrich the Central Ohio community through arts education and to promote India’s dance and music while encouraging multicultural awareness and cultivating local talent. Sukanya is an instructor for Indian dances at MUCAI Academy in Worthingtion and acknowledges their love and support.
Laya is an upcoming multi-faceted artist who received advanced training in Indian classical music from Sangeetha Kalanidhi Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi. Laya began her musical journey at a very young age and learnt under accomplished teachers from illustrious lineages, who imparted a deep understanding of classical music. In addition to winning top prizes for over a decade in various competitions held by notable organizations such as the Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival, Chicago Thyagaraja Utsavam, and SaMaa Arts, Laya has performed vocal & violin solo concerts and violin accompaniments across prestigious platforms. Laya has been a violinist and vocalist in the orchestra for many Indian classical dance productions, arangetrams, and rangapraveshams. Also, a passionate Bharathanatyam dancer, Laya is under the guidance of Guru Smt. Sujatha Srinivasan. Laya, a rising sophomore at The Ohio State University, is majoring in Neuroscience and aspires to share her zeal for Indian music and dance with a global audience.
Harsha is a carnatic percussionist who plays the mridangam primarily and he has been learning since the age of 4. He was under the tutelage of Vidwan Poongulam Subramanian and Vidwan S.J. Arjun Ganesh for 14 years and has been receiving advanced lessons from Dr. Patri Satish Kumar for the past 5 years. He has been performing in concerts, ensembles and arangetrams across India and the US for the past 9 years. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at the University of Chicago.