veenatai

Veena comes from a family of musicians. Her father, late Pundit Shankar Shripad Bodas, was a disciple of Pundit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar. Young Veena started her musical education with Kathak dance. She was initiated into Khayal singing by her father and her brother, late Pundit Kashinath Shankar Bodas. Padmashri Balwantrai Bhatt, late Pundit Vasant Thakar and late Pundit Gajananbua Joshi have also contributed to her education.
The style she has created for herself retains the fundamental values of Gwalior Gharana while borrowing somewhat from Kirana and Jaipur gharanas. The vidwans laud the authenticity of her music while most listeners are moved by its directness and intensity.

Apart from Khayal, she is sought after for her rich repertoire of bhajans.

She has sung at all the prestigious venues and occasions including Tansen Samaroh in Gwalior and Sawai Gandharva in Pune. At the Vokalfestival in Stockholm and at the Voices of the World festival in Copenhagen she represented Indian Classical Voice. She has recordings under many leading labels. She has been awarded the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for the year 1993.

Besides being a popular performer, she is also a composer and a teacher. Her compositions adorn many of her recordings. She has taught voice at institutions as well as privately. For two year between 2002 and 2004, she was an Adjunct Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. Several of her students have received private, national or international scholarships to study with her.