Shankar Mahadevan, an engineering graduate who did a stint at Oracle Corporation. Trained in Carnatic and Hindustani classical music. Grew up listening to Pink Floyd, Stevie Wonder and Bobby McFerin.He has beeen part of a Swedish band and dabbles in jazz and fusion music.He has also cut his own album, is a playback singer and part of a music director trio.
Shankar was something what one may ordinarily describe as a child prodigy. Music came to him as effortlessly as breathing and he started early. At the age of three to be precise, when he discovered a harmonium at a relative's house and began to play it without any prior exposure or training.
However his family was not about to label him a boy wonder and put him in the glare of the spotlight. Instead, they gave him the means to hone his talent and let him be. The first formal training he received was in playing the Veena and he took lessons propped up on pillows, otherwise too small to reach the instrument.
He went on to train in Carnatic and Hindustani semi classical music, performing on stage, playing cricket, pursuing academics and never once feeling the 'pressure'. He is of the view that pressure, isn't exactly an accomplice to talent.
Graduating in engineering and eventually joining Oracle was probably the only 'regular' thing that Shankar did. But that too didn't last very long as he gave it up in further pursuit of music. However, he was not directly drawn by the glitter of tinsel town and instead went on to explore his musical skills in many ways.
Shankar has been part of jazz and fusion bands, has performed at international music festivals, and has composed and sung jingles. His career as a playback singer has however not been particularly notable. His biggest break came when he released "Breathless" after collaborating with noted lyricist Javed Akhtar wherein Shankar gave voice to Javed Akhtar's lyrics, singing a seamless, breathless song with no breaks. The album helped Shankar catapult to fame and brought him in to the public eye.
Composing music, apart from singing was another thing Shankar took to with ease when he met up with Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa while composing jingles. The trio connected well, first tried their combined skills with "Dillagi "and "Dus" in 1999 and have stuck together ever since.
Shankar is neither bound by the lure of making music for mainstream cinema and neither had he shunned the idea. The trio has created for some of the biggest films in Bollywood including Mission Kashmir, Dil Chahta Hai, which added to Shankar's personal repertoire as a singer. He has crooned the three higlight songs from the film - the Kashmiri flavoured Bumbro, the robust Rind Posh Maal and the powerful Dhuan Dhuan. The trio has earned immense amount of accolades and respect for the music they have churned out.
