Mrs. Sonia Shikarpur
(Member)
Background & Education:
Born and raised in Pune, Gauri comes from a musically inclined family. Although a career in music seemed like a natural choice, she initially pursued B.Com. and LL.B. before formally studying music.
During her college years, she trained in:
- Vocal Music under Shri Anant Marathe, former Principal of Gandharva Mahavidyalaya
- Harmonium under Shri Pramod Marathe, Principal of Gandharva Mahavidyalaya
- Sitar for over a decade under Smt. Leelabai Kanade
- Also practiced the Synthesizer
She holds a Sangeet Visharad in Harmonium.
Professional Journey in Music:
- Over 25 years of experience as a music teacher at Sargam
- Has now established her own music training institute
- Passionate about writing and drawing
- Runs a YouTube channel, “Magic of Strings,” which features sitar and harmonium performances along with her students
Rotary & Social Contributions:
- Her husband, PDG Deepak Shikarpur, served as District Governor (2013-14). The couple is a Level 3 Major Donor
- As Rotary Club President, she led several youth-centric projects
- Natu Foundation honored her in 2016 for her contributions to school and college students
- Currently a member of Rotary Club of Pune Sahawas
- Has led various committees in the Rotary District for over a decade
Recognized with prestigious awards:
- Best Assistant Governor
- Best District Director
- Neel Nari Shakti Award
- Nav Durga Award