Suanshu Khurana is an award-winning journalist and music critic currently serving as a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is best known for her nuanced writing on Indian culture, with a specific focus on classical music, cinema, and the arts.
Expertise & Focus Areas Khurana specializes in the intersection of culture and society. Her beat involves deep-dive reporting on:
Indian Classical Music: She is regarded as a definitive voice in documenting the lineages (Gharanas) and evolution of Hindustani classical music.
Cinema & Theatre: Her critiques extend beyond reviews to analyze the socio-political narratives within Indian cinema and theater.
Cultural Heritage: She frequently profiles legendary artists and unearths stories about India’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
Professional Experience At The Indian Express, Khurana is responsible for curating and writing features for the Arts and Culture pages. Her work is characterized by long-form journalism that offers intimate portraits of artists and rigorous analysis of cultural trends. She has been instrumental in bringing the stories of both stalwarts and upcoming artistes to the forefront of mainstream media.
Find all stories by Suanshu Khurana here

December 27,2025 06:41:14 AM
Before Sahir Ludhianvi used it as inspiration, the original poem was penned by Sufi poet Ameer Bakhsh Sabri and composed by qawwal duo Ustad Fateh Ali and Ustad Mubarak Ali — Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s father and uncle.
Sun, Dec 28, 2025
December 23,2025 19:21:02 PM
Radio Ceylon was the first radio broadcaster in Asia. As it completes 100 years, we look back at the role it has played for the subcontinent.
Tue, Dec 23, 2025
December 19,2025 17:59:45 PM
By recreating concerts of a Parsi music club in 19th-century Bombay, Shubha Mudgal and Aneesh Pradhan show how it helped democratise Hindustani classical music
Sat, Dec 20, 2025
December 14,2025 07:30:15 AM
PM Modi gave a speech right after, revisiting Jawaharlal Nehru’s decision to drop two stanzas from the original Vande Mataram by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, framing it as an act of appeasement toward Muslim leaders, which, according to the PM, “sowed the seeds of the division of the nation”.
Sun, Dec 14, 2025
December 14,2025 04:46:55 AM
Slated on December 14 and 15, the memorial, besides performances, presentations and film screenings, will feature a photo exhibition by noted photographer Dayanita Singh titled ‘Zakir Hussain: Learning to Learn, A Student’s Tribute’.
Sun, Dec 14, 2025
December 13,2025 14:55:26 PM
With the need for stillness and a curiosity around the spiritual, the young are heading to bhajan clubs for a place to anchor
Tue, Dec 16, 2025
December 09,2025 19:11:08 PM
As Ramesh Sippy's emotional roller coaster Sholay rides back to theatres, a trailer misstep sets off a fresh dialogue debate.
Tue, Dec 09, 2025
December 05,2025 21:46:55 PM
The festival that opened with a conversation with veteran poet Gulzar will feature conversations with Javed Akhtar, mushairas, concerts — even a qawwali featuring a western symphonic orchestra.
Fri, Dec 05, 2025
November 15,2025 16:32:16 PM
The singer reflects on a landmark Kashmir concert, a new nationwide tour, evolving musical technologies, and what he still cherishes from the old music era
Sun, Nov 16, 2025
November 15,2025 16:30:48 PM
US-based Indian-origin musician Zeshan B on campaigning for Zohran Mamdani, his now-viral moment of defiance and using music to start conversations about identity
Mon, Nov 17, 2025
November 13,2025 18:55:00 PM
At an event to mark 150 years of Vande Mataram last week, Modi claimed that the song had been “broken and cut into pieces” and that it “sowed the seeds of the division of the nation”. The remarks once again brought into spotlight the debate surrounding India’s national song
Thu, Nov 13, 2025
November 08,2025 13:25:06 PM
Singer Lucky Ali on touring at 67, his ‘unrefined’ voice and leaving the Hindi film industry where he didn’t really know anyone.
Sun, Nov 09, 2025
November 08,2025 11:37:10 AM
Cousins Anoushka Shankar and Alam Khan, percussionist Sarathy Korwar, pianist Charu Suri, singer Siddhant Bhatia and Indo-jazz outfit Shakti have been nominated at the 2026 Grammys
Sat, Nov 08, 2025
November 04,2025 15:56:43 PM
From Manoj Tiwari’s ode to “Biharipan” to Prashant Kishor and Tejashwi Yadav’s campaign jingles, political songs turn melody into message, celebrating identity while wooing voters
Wed, Nov 05, 2025
November 02,2025 07:21:56 AM
From mustard fields to city skylines, how Shah Rukh Khan became the song on screen, defining love and longing for an entire generation.
Sun, Nov 02, 2025
November 01,2025 05:55:05 AM
Interestingly, SOI has performed in Delhi only once before — at the India Habitat Centre, which could accommodate only the smaller chamber orchestra
Sat, Nov 01, 2025
October 25,2025 10:30:37 AM
The show is a nod to courtesans who navigated patriarchy and asserted their cultural authority
Fri, Oct 24, 2025
October 24,2025 18:07:02 PM
The Grammy-winning musician will perform in Gurugram and Hyderabad
Fri, Oct 24, 2025
October 18,2025 07:00:02 AM
The BJP’s 25-yr-old candidate from Alinagar in Darbhanga has carved out a niche by mixing classical with folk Bhojpuri music, earning millions of followers on social media
Sat, Oct 18, 2025
October 17,2025 08:06:30 AM
For a generation of listeners, MTV was the definition of cool and the ultimate vehicle for consuming popular cultural trends
Fri, Oct 17, 2025
October 14,2025 19:36:37 PM
Blue Frog, the swish music club, is set to return to Mumbai after a decade
Tue, Oct 14, 2025
October 14,2025 17:55:14 PM
Pakistan Idol producers mandate that only Pakistani songs be sung on the reality show, and cricketing stand-offs are the order of the day. But Karachi band Khudgharz’s tribute to Indian musician Zubeen Garg sets a different, higher standard
Tue, Oct 14, 2025
October 09,2025 07:35:10 AM
The October 9-12 festival at Sunder Nursery has been curated by Carnatic vocalist T M Krishna, and will focus on inclusivity and putting diverse voices from across the country in the same space.
Thu, Oct 09, 2025
October 04,2025 12:06:06 PM
The Carnatic vocalist speaks about bringing together a diverse group of musicians for the KNMA festival in the Capital and his forthcoming book.
Sat, Oct 04, 2025
October 02,2025 13:30:07 PM
He had been admitted to Sir Sunder Lal Hospital at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi after a sharp decline in his health.
Fri, Oct 03, 2025




