Alif Laila Indian classical sitar music

I grew up in Dhaka, Bangladesh.  I am the first and the only classical performer in my, otherwise  very enlightened family. My mother, Shehida Haque,introduced and lead  me on to the sitar, a dream which was unfulfilled for herself. After initial training in vocal music,I was very fortunate to become the disciple of late Ustad Mir Qasem Khan , nephew of the legendary Ustad Alauddin Khan, founder of the Senia Maihar Gharana. I feel lucky to have  been embraced in this  ground breaking  (at  the time  of its birth) musical ideology .

Sitar took over my life and instilled positivity and strength within me. I contunued to grow professionally and soulfully. I have performed in prestigious venues such as The Kennedy Center ,The Bangladesh National Museum, The Sangeet Research Academy,, The Purcel Room  south Bank Center etc. I recorded and performed with world renowned tabla artists  such as Pandit Anindo Chatterjee and Ustad Taari Khan. My sitar DVDs , 'Hrydayaragam' was featured in the Women's History Month' at the Smithsonian in 2008 and 'Strings of Resonance was nominated for the Best Classical Music Award in Bangladesh in 2010. I have collaborated with South Indian classical, jazz saxophone and lately with world percussion. I have composed music for cello , dance and  sitar ensebles.My artistic creativity  leads me on to fuse boundaries of my music & art.I have presented audio visual sitar concerts in major venues in the USA, the UK and Bangladesh. 

I have founded Sitar Niketan, my music school in the wash DC area in 2015