At the young age of 21, Anoushka Shankar has shown herself to be a unique artist with tremendous talent and understanding of the great musical tradition of India. Anoushka is the only artist in the world to be trained completely by her father and legendary sitar virtuoso and composer, Ravi Shankar. She has been playing and studying with him since she was nine, working first on a "baby" sitar that was built especially for her. At age 13 she made her performing debut in New Delhi, India. That same year, Anoushka entered the recording studio for the first time to play on her father's recording, "In Celebration." Two years later she helped as conductor with her father and George Harrison, Mr. Shankar's friend and frequent colleague, on the 1997 Angel release, "Chants of India." Shortly thereafter she signed an exclusive contract with Angel/EMI Classics. In the Fall of 1998 her first solo recording, Anoushka, was released to tremendous critical acclaim. Her second album "Anourag" was released in August 2000. And October 2001 saw the release of her third CD; "Live at Carnegie Hall." She also assisted her father on his Grammy Award winning album "Full Circle: Carnegie Hall 2000."

As her solo career continues to blossom, she is poised to carry forward her father's legacy as one of the most creative and influential figures in the music world. In recognition of her artistry and musicianship, on July 17, 1998 the British Parliament presented Anoushka with a House of Commons Shield. She is the youngest as well as the sole female recipient of this high honor. She has also twice been a finalist for the New Age Voice Music Award in the Best Traditional World Album category, first for "Anoushka," and then for "Live at Carnegie Hall."

Anoushka spent her formative years in London, where she was born, and by the time she was seven was also living partly in New Delhi, India. She still spends half the year performing with her father and visiting her family. At age eleven she moved from London to Encinitas, California, where she graduated in 1999 with honors from public school. She is also a gifted classical pianist with a wide range of interests. But her devotion to the sitar and to her father's guidance is unmistakable, with a discipline that has led her into an already extraordinary performing career.

Anoushka had her first solo tour in 2000, and is currently focusing on building a solo career. with performances in America, Europe, and Asia. However, she continues to assist her father at his performances worldwide. Anoushka is also championing her father's Concerto No. 1 for Sitar and Orchestra, which she first performed with Zubin Mehta conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra in March 1997. In July 1999 Anoushka premiered a new work for sitar and cello, written by her father, Ravi Shankar, with cellist Mstislav Rostropovich at the Evian Festival. Anoushka became the first woman to perform at The Ramakrishna Centre in Calcutta in February 2000. In January 2001, Anoushka made her conducting debut at Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi. She conducted a 22-member orchestra performing a new and intricate composition of her father's titled "Kalyan."

Anoushka Shankar performed for a fundraising concert organized by Trudie Styler for the Tibet Foundation Peace Garden, in London on 4th June 2000. Other artists performing included Madonna, Vanessa Redgrave, Lulu, Bryan Adams, and Alan Rickman. She also performed at the World Economic Forum in January 2002. Organized by the legendary producers Quincy Jones and Phil Ramone, it was held for the first time in New York City. Also performing at the WEF were artists like Bono of rock group U2, Lauryn Hill and Peter Gabriel. At the performance she premiered a new piece composed by her father titled "Mood Circle." Just months later she took part in the star-studded Rainforest Foundation Benefit Concert in Carnegie Hall, organized by Sting and Trudie Styler. Among others taking part in the performance, were Elton John, Patti La Belle, Nina Simone and James Taylor. The evening's programme was dedicated in part to the late George Harrison and Anoushka performed a short piece composed by her father in his memory.

"Most people are musicians simply because they play a certain instrument; when they play that instrument, the music appears. But Ravi - to me, he is the music; it just happens to be that he plays the Sitar. And it's like that with Anoushka. She has that quality…She is the music."- George Harrison - 1997

"…Ms. Shankar, sounding utterly different from her father, improvised against tablas, using aggressive geometric ideas, ramming home her improvisations; the crowd cheered her loudly, and Mr. Shankar, beaming, was as proud as Ms. Coltrane had been of her son." - The New York Times - June 16, 1998

"..I am waiting for the time when I will be called Anoushka's father.... Anoushka has indeed a rare talent... there is something spiritual in the way she plays... she feels the music and gives in to it.." - Ravi Shankar in an interview to Maya Bahir, Yedioth (Israel)