In the evolving landscape where ancient traditions meet modern innovation, Dr Kaustuv Kanti Ganguli stands at the forefront—blending Hindustani classical music, multi-sensory experiences, and computational research into a singular, transformative vision.
A Maestro Rooted in Tradition
Trained in the prestigious Patiala gharana, Dr Ganguli began his musical journey at the age of four under the guidance of his grandfather, Phanindra Mohan Ganguli. Later, he honed his craft under Pt. Ajoy Chakrabarty at Shrutinandan and the ITC Sangeet Research Academy in Kolkata. Since age 12, he has graced major stages across India and internationally—performing at landmark events like the Dover Lane Music Conference, Arohee, Gharana GenNext, Sur Sagar, and festivals such as Art Music of India in Barcelona and Serendipity Arts in Goa Kaustuv’s website.
His talents have been recognized with multiple accolades: Scholarships from India’s Ministry of Culture (2010) and National Centre for the Performing Arts (2012), the President’s Award in All India Radio’s National Competition (2011), as well as ‘Gaanwardhan’ (Pune, 2018) and ‘Yuva Gaandharva Puraskar’ (Kankavli, 2019).
Bridging Music, Technology, and Research
Beyond performance, Dr Ganguli is a full-spectrum scholar: an engineer, academic, and musicologist. After completing a PhD at IIT Bombay focused on computational modeling of melody in raga music, he went on to a postdoctoral stint at NYU Abu Dhabi. Now a Professor of Computing at Zayed University, UAE, he spearheads computational musicology research—particularly AI-powered models for non-Western classical traditions. Kaustuv’s Website.
He leads the Music and Sound Cultures (MaSC) lab at NYUAD, which emphasizes AI-based understanding of music from the Arabian Gulf, including Maqam recognition, performance similarity, and immersive VR visualizations.
In a notable study titled “On the perception of raga motifs by trained musicians,” co-authored with Preeti Rao, he explored how musicians perceive melodic motifs—finding that trained musicians are less sensitive to duration changes but highly attuned to categorical boundaries between ragas PubMed.
Fragrant Ragaz: A Multi-Sensory Raga Revolution
Perhaps the most revolutionary of Dr Ganguli’s recent undertakings is Fragrant Ragaz, a pioneering multi-sensory concert experience co-created with Mohanish Jaju. This patented concept—protected in the USA, UAE, and India—invites the audience to engage with ragas through sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and texture. The TribuneBusiness Standard.
The experience unfolds in three immersive zones:
- Aroma Chamber: Fragrances aligned with specific ragas allow audiences to smell the mood and emotional essence.
- Texture & Taste Chamber: Carefully curated textures and flavors reflect a raga’s character—enable attendees to feel and taste the music.
- Visual & Auditory Chamber: A live performance featuring vocalist Dr Ganguli, along with Sarangi, keyboard, and Tabla—enhanced by visual projections—creates a synesthetic musical journey. The TribuneBusiness Standard.
Fragrant Ragaz made a compelling debut at Mumbai’s G5A Foundation and was also premiered at Pune. Facebook+1Instagram
Conclusion
Dr Kaustuv Kanti Ganguli’s work is a rare fusion of tradition and innovation. From his deep roots in Hindustani classical khayal, thumri, and bhajan traditions, to computational inquiry, to the boundary-blurring, multi-sensory experience of Fragrant Ragaz—his journey reimagines how music can be perceived, studied, and felt.
Sources Consulted:
- NYU Abu Dhabi researcher profile on Kaustuv Kanti Ganguli
- G5A Foundation artist page
- Indian Music Experience Museum event page
- The Tribune article on Fragrant RagazThe Tribune
- Business Standard coverage of Fragrant Ragaz Business Standard
- Dr Ganguli’s official website Kaustuv’s Website
- Instagram, Facebook posts referencing Fragrant RagazFacebook+1Instagram
- PubMed research on raga motif perceptionPubMed
This article is conceptualized by Global Bharatiya team, and written and proofread using AI.
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