Shashank,
was barely nine months old when he was initiated to south Indian classical music, even before he started speaking his mother tongue. As advised by Flute Maestro T.R. Mahalingam, he learnt only vocal music from veteran musicians including Palghat K.V. Narayana Swamy. At his six Shashank picked his father's flute and stunned onlookers by playing, spontaneously, to signal his entry into the flute world.  His maiden flute concert was at Adelaide, Australia in Sept 1990 when he was eleven followed by his debut in India on Dec 20, 1990.
 
 He became  the youngest musician of the century to have been invited to play the prestigious "SADAS" concert on Jan. 1, 1991 at The Music Academy, Madras. Since then, has been a celebrity flautist world over and performs in the company of top ranking artistes in India and abroad.

 
 

Some land mark concerts of his have been Rashtrapathi Bhavan (The President's Palace at New Delhi), The Smithsonian, Kennedy Center and National Academy of Sciences in Washington D.C., J. Paul Getty Hall -Hollywood, Cerritos Performing arts center in Los Angeles, Eastman School of Music - Rochester, World Music Institute - New York,  Asian Art Museum - San Francisco, Xebec Hall and Across Fukuoka  in Kobe, and Fukuoka, Japan, Hong Kong Museum of Art - Hong Kong, World Flute Conference - Nashville, Sawai gandharva Festival - Pune, Saptak Festival - Ahmedabad, Dover Lane Music festival - Calcutta,

   
(With the legendary Sitar Maestro Pt. Ravi Shankar and Mrs. Sukanya Shankar)

India Music Group - Bombay, Theater De-La-Ville, UNESCO & Musee Guimet  in Paris -France, Tropical Institute - Amsterdam, The Lowry in Manchester-UK, The Sage in Gateshead - UK, Modigliani Hall -Padova-Italy, Museum Rietberg -Zurich, The Munchen Residency in Munich-Germany, Improvisation Festival in Lausanne- Switzerland, Seoul Plaza in Seoul-  Korea and a host of other prestigious institutions across the world.

Shashank often collaborates with many legendary musicians from India and around the world including Guitarist John McLaughlin, Tabla Maestro Zakir Hussain, Ustad Sultan Khan, Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Pt. Ajoy Chakraborthy  to name a few. 


(With His Excellencies The President, Prime Minister & Home Minister of India - after a performance along with Legendary Vocalist Pt. Jasraj in New Delhi on Jan 14, 2006)

With scintillating, primal tones he truly sings through the most organic and ancient of all instruments. His logic-defying virtuosity is the result of a magical innate talent coupled with the best possible training. Shashank has propelled the Bamboo flute into an enviable position by his playing techniques of which “the multi flute transposed fingering technique” to merge flutes of different frequencies / lengths to the tonic note (the adhara shadja) – producing deep bass to the shrill sounds and the dual octave production”” have won him world acclaim. 

Shashank has enthralled audiences in India, USA, Canada, UK, France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Denmark, Norway, South Africa, The Middle East, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong and Korea.

"Shashank sings through his flute", "musical wiz kid of the century", "magician flautist" , etc., are some of the often heard critics in the music world.

Shashank's performances feature an extraordinary range of musical expression - from the deepest meditations to youthful fun and astonishing virtuosity. Audiences respond enthusiastically to his flair and unpretentious style. His percussionists add  pizzazz to the performances with rhythmic texture that ranges from colorful, sparse punctuation to driving motives that swell to exhilarating levels during solo passages.

With His Excellency The President of India R. Venkatraman at Rashtrapathi Bhavan, New Delhi, 19 June, 1992
(With H.E. The President of India R. Venkatraman at The Presidential Palace, New Delhi, 19 June, 1992)

Shashank has numerous awards to his credit including the prestigious title "Kalaimamani" conferred by the Govt. of Tamilnadu and holds an "A Top" grade in the All India Radio / Television. He has 32 CD albums to his credit apart from two DVDs of his live concerts.

Shashank currently pursues Hindustani vocal (North Indian) music from the legendary vocalist Pt. Jasraj.