• By Mabel Pais

CHANDRIKA TANDON, 2025 Grammy Award-winner for her album ‘Triveni’ and two-time Grammy Award-nominee, gives us ‘Divine Ecstasy,’ with an ensemble of instrumental and vocal musicians. She will unveil her August 2025 release, ‘Soul Ecstasy,’ with songs from her other albums, for an evening of storytelling, chanting, and audience participation. The performance showcases various chants in the Vedic tradition blending Indian classical music with diverse world influences. More than a concert, experience a profound connection with your innermost self, fellow seekers and the divine essence that binds us all. Her passion for fostering emotional well-being is focused on emanating love, joy, and transcendence through her music and artistry.

The event takes place at The Town Hall – 123 West 43rd Street, New York City on Saturday, September 20 at 8 pm. Doors open at 7 pm. This is a co-presentation of the World Music Institute with The Town Hall.

MUSIC

The New York Times wrote, Chandrika traveled an “unlikely path to become an internationally recognized Indian singer.” Her stated mission is to elevate human happiness through music and education – working on the dual prongs of emotional and economic well-being.

For two decades, Chandrika has made ancient Sanskrit mantras and slokas accessible to a wide audience through her work with community and school choirs, including her current role as Artist-in-Residence for the award-winning Young People’s Chorus of New York City.

Her passion for fostering emotional well-being is focused on emanating love, joy, and transcendence through her music and artistry. Since 2005, under her non-profit music label, Soul Chants Music, Chandrika has released six albums – ‘Ammu’s Treasures,’ ‘Shivoham – The Quest,’ ‘Soul March,’ ‘Soul Mantra,’ GRAMMY® -nominated ‘Soul Call’ in the Contemporary World Music category, and GRAMMY® -winning ‘Triveni’ in Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant. Her music draws on ancient Vedic chants that have sound healing impact and melds it with Indian classical music, and has attracted a wide cult following.

She has conducted numerous benefit concerts on world stages to sold-out audiences, including the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Nassau Coliseum, Times Square, premier European venues, and Washington DC’s National Mall for hundreds of thousands of attendees of the World Culture Festival. She has been named the Young People’s Chorus of New York City’s 2024-2025 Artist in Residence.

BUSINESS and EDUCATION

Chandrika Tandon is a globally recognized business leader, twice nominated GRAMMY®-winning artist, and humanitarian. At the height of her business career, she re-evaluated her life and definitions of success, reformulating her business life to intentionally include music, service, and meditation.

Chandrika’s economic well-being efforts are focused on higher education – in particular STEM – where she brings to bear her considerable business experience as one of the earliest and youngest partners of McKinsey & Company, and founder and Chair of her advisory firm, Tandon Capital Associates. She chairs the Board of the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, named after her family’s generous gift. This school has been a transformation success story, with a steady rankings climb, and proudly offers enhanced access to first-generation and women students. NYU Tandon is involved in world-class groundbreaking research in areas like cybersecurity and wireless. Chandrika is a Trustee of New York University, Chair of NYU’s Global Council, and a Trustee of NYU Langone Health. She is a Harold Acton Fellow at NYU and a Sterling Fellow at Yale, where she serves on the President’s Council on International Activities.

She is the founder and patron of Madras Christian College’s Boyd-Tandon School of Business, and her Foundation has established faculty Chairs at Yale and Harvard Universities. Chandrika is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Investment Committee and serves as a Governor of the New York Academy of Sciences.

AWARDS and HONORS

Chandrika has received numerous awards, including the Gallatin Medal, NYU’s highest honor, the Walter Nichols Medal for leadership and integrity, and the Polytechnic Medal recognizing her contribution to science and engineering. She was inducted into the Horatio Alger Society of Distinguished Americans and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AMACAD), and has received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and The Town Hall’s Friend of the Arts Award.

She was recently honored with the Ban-Ki Moon Award for Women’s Empowerment, Diwali at Times Square’s Woman of the Year Award, Maharishi International University’s Maharishi Award for the Area of Celebrations and Fulfillment, the Voice Foundation’s Voice Education Research Awareness Award, the ASCAP Foundation’s Champion Award, and the South Asian Council for Social Services’ Music for Healing Award.

Chandrika was named the inaugural Distinguished Alumnus of both the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA) and Madras Christian College (MCC), her two alma maters. She has also supported senior and community centers in several Hindu temples in New York.

PUBLICITY

She has been profiled in print, on radio, and television including in CNBC’s ‘The Brave Ones’ series, the book ‘Indian Genius’ by Meenakshi Ahamed, and the book ‘From the Minds of Jazz Musicians,’ Volume II by David Schroeder.

TICKETS

For tickets to experience Chandrika Tandon at The Town Hall, visit ticketmaster.com/event/030062E7B5BD0CC3.

Tickets are available on a tiered basis. VIP tickets include artist meet-and-greet and preferred seating. Service charges are additional.

SACRED SOUNDS OF HEALING

The Sacred Sounds of Healing series highlights artists, cross-cultural collaborations, and interactive ancillary events that celebrate and promote the transformative power of music and sounds from diverse spiritual and ethnic traditions. This initiative aims to heal and foster peace, joy, and unity through the universal language of music.

WORLD MUSIC INSTITUTE

Founded in 1985, World Music Institute (WMI) has served as one of the leading presenters of world music and dance within the United States. WMI is committed to presenting the best in traditional and contemporary music and dance from around the world to enrich lives through the arts, promote awareness and appreciation of the world’s rich cultural traditions, and encourage cross-cultural dialog and exchange. WMI presents virtually and at venues throughout the city of New York and depends on public and private funding to accomplish its mission.

Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Spirituality, Education, Business, Health and Wellness, and Cuisine.