Vidushi Devaki Pandit To Perform In Auckland & Wellington

Renowned Hindustani classical vocalist Vidushi Devaki Pandit will visit New Zealand this month for two eagerly awaited concerts in Auckland and Wellington organised by EnkayEntertainments, supported by the Mohan Nadkarni Foundation and managed by the Migrant Heritage Charitable Trust.

Devaki Pandit, born on 6 March 1965 in Maharashtra, began learning music from her mother Usha Pandit before formal training with Vasantrao Kulkarni. She later became a disciple of Padma Vibhushan Ganasaraswati Kishori Amonkar and Padmashree Pt Jitendra Abhisheki, both towering figures of Hindustani music. By the age of twelve she was already recording professionally.

Over the decades she has built a reputation for her ability to traverse genres, singing classical ragas, bhajans, ghazals, Marathi and Hindi light music, television theme songs and film tracks. She has collaborated with legends such as Pt Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Ustad RaisKhan, Gulzar, Vishal Bhardwaj, Naushad, Jaidev, Jatin-Lalit and Ustad Zakir Hussain. Her concerts are noted for their emotional intensity, intricate and precise phrasing and her capacity to blend the rigour of classical music with the accessibility of devotional and popular forms. This reflects the tradition she inherited from her celebrated gurus.

In New Zealand, she is set to captivate audiences with performances that weave together timeless and contemporary favourites, moving seamlessly between bhajans, ghazals, light music and the rich traditions of Indian classical music. Shri Prashant Pandav (a disciple of Pt Yogesh Samsi), will be accompanying Devaki on the Tabla and Shri Abhinay Ravande on Harmonium.

These events will bring to audiences in Auckland and Wellington a rare chance to hear one of India’s most versatile and accomplished singers live. The concerts follow a string of successful performances in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney and coincide with the 103rd birth anniversary of Mohan Nadkarni on 22 September, making the tour especially meaningful for the Foundation and the large Indian community in New Zealand.

This is the first time that Vidushi Devaki Pandit will perform in Auckland, making the event a landmark for Hindustani music lovers in the city. For New Zealand’s Indian community and anyone interested in India’s rich musical heritage, these concerts present an extraordinary opportunity to experience live one of the finest exponents of Hindustani classical and semi-classical music at the peak of her powers.

What: Swaranjali – A Musical Offering featuring Vidushi Devaki Pandit

Where: Auckland – Green Bay High School Performing Arts Centre
Wellington – Memorial Theatre, Victoria University

When: Auckland – Saturday 27 September 2025, from 5 pm onwards, Wellington – Sunday 28 September 2025, from 3 pm onwards

Duration: Approximately 2½ hours including an interval

Language: Hindi

Tickets: Available online at tugoz.com