Dr Shishir Rao is a Hindustani classical (Khayal) vocalist, with over twenty years of training under Sri. Nachiketa Yakkundi of the lineage of Padma Bhushan Pandit Basavraj Rajguru of the Kirana gharana. His musical education includes advanced studies at Kolkata's ITC Sangeet Research Academy, and he performs regularly across India, the USA, and the UK. In addition to teaching Khayal in London, he hosts OxKala (https://linktr.ee/oxkala), a podcast exploring South Asian classical music. He is currently a research group lead for artificial intelligence for chronic disease research at the University of Oxford.
True to the meaning of "Khayal" (imagination), Shishir approaches each performance from first principles, inviting listeners to join him in discovering unexpected moments of beauty. His receptive musicianship thrives on staying open to possibilities as they unfold.