Indian American Sitarist Hasu Patel honored by UN

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Indian American sitarist, composer and educator Hasu Patel has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the United Nations for ‘Extraordinary Service to Humanity.’

Patel has been teaching sitar, tabla and vocals at Ohio’s Oberlin College for close to two decades, and continues to train students while she performs at concerts in the U.S. and abroad.

Patel received her bachelor’s degree in sitar from the Faculty of Performing Arts at M.S. University in Vadodara, Gujarat, India, and became a gold medalist.

She went on to receive her master’s degree in sitar with distinction from Gandharv Mahavidyalaya in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India and later received a master’s degree in accountancy and financial information systems from Cleveland State University, according to her bio on her website.

Patel plays sitar in a vocal style known as Gayaki Ang, where the sitar replicates the fluidity and subtle nuances of the human voice.

She made her first public appearance at the age of 10 and has won many awards since.

She is also the first woman to receive a music degree with a gold medal in the 75-year history of the Faculty of Performing Arts and is the only Indian musician/composer to be included among 25 prestigious women composers of the U.S., according to a book by Dr. Jennifer Kelly of Lafayette College in Pennsylvania titled, “In Her Own Words,” Patel’s website adds.