Vidya Subramanian

Vidya Subramanian is the founder of the Vidya Subramanian Academy (www.vidyasubramanian.com), an online institution that has been imparting training in Carnatic music and other traditional Indian arts to students across the globe for over 15 years. An accomplished Carnatic vocalist, she is a disciple of the legendary Padma Bhushan Lalgudi Sri Jayaraman, and currently trains under renowned vocalist Dr. Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam.

Vidya is also a Chartered Accountant (All India Rank 2 in the CA Final) and holds an MBA in Finance from Boston College, USA. She was awarded the CFA Charter in 2006. Combining her artistic passion with a strong academic and professional background, Vidya has pioneered innovations in online Carnatic music education. Her work has been featured in a BBC World News documentary, Zee TV’s Naya Bharat series, and DD India’s Changemakers program.

In recognition of her contributions, Vidya received the Women Transforming India (WTI) Award in 2021—an initiative by NITI Aayog in partnership with the United Nations and FICCI to celebrate India’s leading women change-makers. Other accolades include the Kalaimamani Award (Tamil Nadu’s highest honor in the arts), the Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur Award (SAFA), the CA Entrepreneur Award (ICAI), the Devi Award (The New Indian Express), the Champion of Chennai Award, the Homepreneur Award, and the Vocational Excellence Award by the Rotary Club of Chennai Spotlight.

Vidya was also recognized as an inspiring woman entrepreneur in the tech and social impact space by NITI Aayog and FICCI during the Road to Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017. She is a Vital Voices Visionary Fellow (2024) and a Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellow (2024), gaining membership in the prestigious Aspen Global Leadership Network.

As a performer, Vidya has given vocal concerts at esteemed venues worldwide, including the University of Utah, Cornell University, Singapore Indian Fine Arts, Swaralaya (Florida), Fine Arts Association of Arizona, Cleveland Aradhana, Sangati Center (California), and prominent sabhas in Chennai and other Indian cities such as Bangalore, Mysore, Trivandrum, Delhi, and Mumbai.

Vidya Subramanian Academy (VSA) is a women-led, impact-driven social enterprise. Through VSA, Vidya and her team teach Carnatic and Hindustani music (vocal and instrumental), Bharatanatyam, slokas and chants, languages, Vedic maths, yoga, and Konnakkol to students from diverse backgrounds. She has skillfully adapted traditional pedagogy to suit an online, global audience, drawing on her deep knowledge of music and business expertise.

Vidya is committed to artist empowerment, particularly for women, enabling them to share their knowledge and sustain their art in the digital age. VSA welcomes learners at all levels. Recent initiatives such as VSA Certification Exams, VSA Sabha, and VSA Workshops further her mission of taking India’s cultural heritage to the world stage.