Pune: Startup that’s on a mission to take Hindustani classical music to the world

Ragya, which started as a free-to-listen streaming copyright-free music from the Internet Archive switched to being a subscription-based service on Diwali day in October, with support and content from artistes and a couple of music archives.

(Clockwise from left to right) Aditya Dipankar, Samyuktha Shastri, Rajesh Bhat and Chaitanya Nadkarny.

In a country dominated by Bollywood music and Punjabi pop, would a startup offering only Hindustani classical music go very far? Ragya is redefining the game — with more than six lakh listeners across the world in exactly a year despite the challenges posed by Covid. In February, the entire team met up in Pune for a three-day workshop to chart a new chapter.

“Ragya’s USP is that its Prahar Player i.e. it plays raga renditions appropriate to the time the listener launches the app. This is based on the commonly known fact that most ragas are best enjoyed in a particular prahar of the day. It means that everyone can enjoy raga music, wherever they are, whoever they are and with whatever level of knowledge they have, even if that might be zero. The simple idea of playing music by prahar has found resonance with listeners,” says Aditya Dipankar, founder of Ragya. The website is http://www.ragya.com . On the app, Pt Jasraj breaks into an immersive rendition of Raga Puriya Kalyan as the late afternoon sun turns towards the horizon. The evening darkness sets in to the notes of sarod as Rajrupa Chowdhury presents Raga Tilak Kamod. Night and the hours that follow bring their own treasure trove of ragas.

Aditya Dipankar, founder of Ragya.

Samyukta Shastri, Co-founder and Content Management at Ragya.

Ragya started as a free-to-listen streaming copyright-free music from the Internet Archive. The idea found support and it switched to being a subscription-based service on Diwali day in October, with support and content from artistes and a couple of music archives, such as Sonic Octaves. “Today, we have music added to Ragya by more than 100 artistes personally, including rare raga renditions by living legends such as Dr. Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, Pt. Nityanand Haldipur, Paul Livingstone, Pt. Sanjeev Abhyankar, and rising stars such as Pushkar Lele, Arshad Ali and Samarth Nagarkar. Ragya is growing through building good 1-1 relations with the artistes and organisations and carefully curating content with them,” says Dipankar. The others in the team include Samyukta Shastri as Co-founder and Content Management; Chaitanya Nadkarny, who is Chief of Knowledge & Relations, and Rajesh Bhat, the Chief Product Officer

The listenership of Ragya increased during the pandemic and as live performances could no longer be held. “Gradually, however, people became conservative about their spending so the number of subscriptions did not show a proportional rise. In effect, our running costs spiked. It was certainly a difficult time for us. We had to optimise our systems, mostly in the form of tech, to bring down the costs. This was tedious and a long process but has been quite fruitful as we’ve been able to optimise Ragya’s running costs for future sustenance while the business stands on its feet,” adds Dipankar.

Rajesh Bhat, Chief Product Officer of Ragya.

Chaitanya Nadkarny, Chief of Knowledge & Relations at Ragya.

As a trained tabla player and vocalist, he would know about the patience and persistence that classical music requires to reach great heights. “One of our listeners wrote in about a year ago: ’I am addicted to Ragya now… I was never a classical music fan.. somehow Ragya changed it’. I’m sure there are many more like this listener out there who have felt closer to our classical music than before,” he says. Somewhere in the world, in the morning, somebody begins work to the sounds of the flute as Pt Nityanand Haldipur launches into the late morning raga Yamani Bilawal.

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

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