In service of a listening culture.
Founded in memory of Mahesh Lachyankar, the foundation carries forward his belief that music belongs to anyone willing to sit, listen, and let it work on them.
Our story
Mahesh Lachyankar spent his days working to develop drugs meant to help millions of people — but he always left room for the less scientific side of his life: music. He learned tabla and bansuri in his youth, and those instruments deepened a love of Indian music, both classical and light, that stayed with him for life. He loved to perform, and played as a tabla player and flutist with a number of musical groups across the greater Boston area.
In time, Mahesh wanted to pass on the gift he had been given. That conviction led him to the New England School of Music, which offers tabla, vocal, and Indian classical music programs for all ages in the greater Boston area. The school grew steadily and now serves hundreds of students, all sharing in the joy of Indian classical music.
Mahesh passed away in late 2022 while traveling in India. In his memory, we have resolved to carry his mission further — sharing the richness of Indian classical music through concerts, workshops, and other programming. Please join us in making sure this beautiful art form reaches not only those who grew up with it, but also anyone curious to discover what the Indian classical tradition has to offer.
Four ways we work
Concert Series
Twenty curated evenings each year, from full-stage recitals to garden baithaks. Most are donation-based; none are crowded.
Workshops & Talks
Raga talks, instrument demonstrations, and interactive sessions with visiting artists — open to all ages and levels of familiarity.
Young Artist Showcases
Performance stages for promising young artists under 25, giving rising talent a place to be heard alongside established musicians.
Community Listening
Free children's hours, library partnerships, and a quarterly listening club open to the public. No experience required.
Board of Directors
Dr. Pranoti Mandrekar
Dr. Pranoti Mandrekar is a Professor at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School and a recognized leader in biomedical research. Pranoti was Mahesh's wife and shares his love of music, which was one of their first common interests when they met. Pranoti is deeply committed to fostering cultural enrichment and community engagement. A dedicated student and advocate of Indian classical music, she has played an active role in supporting and collaborating with organizations such as NESOM and other cultural institutions to organize high-impact events that broaden access to music and promote cross-cultural exchange.
Aniket Lachyankar
Aniket Lachyankar is a software engineer by trade who works as a government contractor with Booz Allen Hamilton. Aniket is Mahesh's son and grew up exposed to a variety of musical influences, starting with Indian classical music, sitting on his father's lap while he played tabla. He has grown his musical interests and has trained in tabla, guitar, and Hindustani classical singing, among other interests. He is a strong proponent of all forms of art and loves to attend a variety of musical events in the greater Boston area.
Nishad Damle
Nishad Damle is a strategy and operations professional with a broad interest in music. Mahesh was an uncle to Nishad, and growing up, Nishad has fond memories of listening to different kinds of music with him and experimenting with instruments from his collection. During his school years, Nishad learned violin, clarinet, tabla, and Hindustani classical singing. He continues to enjoy a wide range of music, from Indian classical and Bollywood to contemporary genres.
Board of Advisors
Rakesh Chaurasia
An eminent Indian classical flautist, Rakesh Chaurasia represents the vibrant future of a deeply revered musical lineage. A former child prodigy, he is the nephew and most accomplished disciple of the legendary bansuri maestro Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. Embracing his uncle's profound legacy, Rakesh is celebrated for possessing the ideal balance of strength and serenity necessary to be an exceptional flautist. His dexterous blowing technique, combined with rigorous training in swar and tala, allows him to adeptly convey deep emotions through a simple hollow piece of bamboo.
Kunal Gunjal
A Global Music Award–winning artiste and featured musician on Oscar-winning Hollywood film scores. A disciple of the late legendary santoor maestro Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, Kunal is taking the ancient classical and Kashmiri folk instrument — the one-hundred-stringed santoor — in new directions while staying true to the centuries-old raga tradition he learned within. He has performed at premiere venues around the world and is the first Indian classical musician to perform at Big Ears Festival (2026) and the National Folk Festival (2026). He is the architect of the world's first electric santoor.
Tariq Ghayur
Tariq Ghayur received his Ph.D. in Immunology from McGill University, Montreal, and did his post-doctoral training at McGill and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He joined AbbVie Inc. in 1990, working on both small molecule and therapeutic antibody discovery programs, leading two therapeutic antibody discovery project teams and delivering two drug development candidates. He was a close colleague of Mahesh, and through their connection grew a love for Indian classical music.
B G Parulkar
Dr. B. G. Parulkar is board certified by the American Board of Urology and maintains many national and professional organization memberships, including the American Urological Association, the Massachusetts Association of Practicing Urologists, and the Massachusetts Medical Society. Aside from his long list of professional achievements, Dr. Parulkar has been a vibrant and strong supporter of many Indian classical music organizations in the greater Boston community. He is himself a student of music, training his love of the harmonium.
Rajesh Godbole
Rajesh Godbole is a technology leader, presently working as a Director of Engineering at athenahealth, building AI-based software solutions for the healthcare industry. He studied Mechanical Engineering at IIT Mumbai and has worked at prominent engineering and software organizations including Parametric Technology, MathWorks, and Amazon. Rajesh is a student of Indian classical music and is the founder and president of the Lexington-based nonprofit Shadaj (www.shadaj.org), dedicated to Indian classical music.