Shankar Mahadevan (born 3 March 1967) is an Indian singer and composer who is part of the Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy trio that writes music for Indian films. In 2023, he was awarded a honorary doctorate (honoris causa degree) by Birmingham City University.

Personal life and early career

Shankar Mahadevan was born in Chembur, Mumbai into a family originally from Palakkad, Kerala. He learned Hindustani classical and Carnatic music as a child, and began playing the veena at the age of five under Shri Lalitha Venkataraman. Mahadevan studied music under Pandit Shrinivas Khale and T.R. Balamani. He is an alumnus of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour High School, Chembur and graduated in 1988 with a degree in Computer Science and Software Engineering from the Ramrao Adik Institute of Technology in Navi Mumbai, affiliated to Mumbai University, and was a software engineer for the company, Leading Edge. After working for Leading Edge Systems (now Trigyn Technologies Limited), Mahadevan ventured into music. He has two sons, Siddharth Mahadevan and Shivam Mahadevan, both of whom are singers.

Musical career

Mahadevan got early fame as an indipop star with his fusion of Carnatic, Hindustani and Jazz. At that time, his non-film album, Breathless topped the Indian music charts in 1998.

Awards

Filmography

As actor

As composer

As playback singer

Discography

Solo albums

Jingles

Television