#PastForward: Flautist Shadaj Godkhindi talks about bridging tradition and innovation in Indian classical music

Born into the lineage of maestros, Shadaj Godkhindi is a third-generation flautist in a family where music is heritage and vocation. Taught by his grandfather from the age of two, he performed for the first time at the age of three, sharing the stage with his father (Ravin Godkhindi) and grandfather (Venkatesh Godkhindi). Beyond preserving classical purity, Shadaj experiments, collaborates and tours globally, blending legacy with innovation. From performing alongside legends like ustad Rashid Khan, to winning national accolades, he embodies the dialogue between past and future, proving that tradition isn’t static – it evolves, resonates and propels itself forward with each note he plays.

Rooted in this legacy yet shaped by his city, Shadaj believes Bengaluru is unmatched in its openness to diverse musical forms. “It is by far the best place for fusion music and especially for classical music, because you’ll find an equal number of hindustani and carnatic musicians and audiences,” he says. Growing up here allowed him to collaborate deeply with carnatic musicians, absorbing their rhythmic and melodic aesthetics. “It really helps you grow and you can always incorporate elements from any genre and make it your own — that’s what helps you stand out,” he adds.

Belonging to the rich legacy of classical music, Shadaj is trained in kirana gharana. “My grandfather was an ace vocalist and a self-taught flautist who passed on that taleem to my father. I was lucky enough to have two gurus. They taught me the basics and all the nuances of the gayaki, which is our speciality,” Shadaj tells us.

But he never treated classical training as a boundary. Instead, it became the foundation from which he explored newer sounds and forms. “Initially, it was difficult to attempt fusion because everything I thought of was in the raaga format. But once I opened myself to other genres, I realised there’s a huge canvas — so many possibilities,” he says. A drummer himself, Shadaj often experiments with technology and diverse musical influences, performing for varied audiences to understand what resonates today. “I try to incorporate everything I’ve listened to into my playing, while keeping the aesthetics of hindustani classical intact.”

While his grandfather was a purist who was ahead of his time, constantly innovating within classical music, his father embraced experimentation — collaborating across genres, from rock bands to EDM artistes. Growing up between these two artistic worlds naturally shaped Shadaj’s own instinct to explore. “My recent single, Drake Passage, with ace drummer Gino Banks, bassist Sheldon D’Silva and many other artistes, was a challenging experiment because I composed the entire piece. It wasn’t the usual fusion. While composing it, I realised how much is possible when you fuse Indian classical with rock and jazz. It blew my mind,” he recalls. “It’s challenging but really exciting. You’re not only creating new music but also learning new music. That is the beauty of collaborations.”

Yet even as he pushes boundaries, Shadaj never lets experimentation dilute the sanctity of the tradition he comes from. “As a classical musician, I take a lot from other genres, such as the mathematics of jazz music but when I want to perform a classical concert, I want to keep it as aesthetic and as classical as possible. It holds a special place in my heart and I try to maintain its ethnicity,” he tells us.

In the end, Shadaj stands exactly where tradition and tomorrow meet. “I am a third-generation flautist. I belong to a legacy. I feel like it is my responsibility to take that forward,” he says. Yet he carries that inheritance lightly, not as a weight but as a compass. “I keep the aesthetics and legacy in mind, but I never let it become pressure. I can freely experiment and try different things — that’s the best part of coming from a musical background,” he tells us. In his hands, the past doesn’t merely survive. It expands, breathes and moves forward — note by note.

(Written by Prishita Tahilramani)