Chennai’s Sishyakulam, founded by Neyveli R. Santhanagopalan, made global headlines on 19 April 2025, when its EPIC Choir 2025 achieved a landmark feat at the Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival. In what has now been officially recognised as the largest Indian music ensemble ever assembled, over 250 vocalists and instrumentalists, aged between 5 and 60, performed on a single stage before an audience of more than 2,000 music enthusiasts.

The ensemble brought together participants from over 20 states of the USA, trained by 40 gurus across three continents, showcasing the sheer scale of the initiative.

At the helm of this effort was Shankar Santhanagopalan, CEO of Sishyakulam who shared, “Through rigorous planning, boundless inclusivity, and measurable impact, we’ve shown how Chennai’s rich Carnatic heritage can resonate globally,”

Other highlights of the event include a $15,000 donation made by Sishyakulam to the Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival in gratitude. 700+ individuals travelled to Cleveland exclusively for the EPIC Choir performance and representation of seven instruments (including violin, flute, veena, mridangam, and ghatam) and over 25 rāgams

Participants underwent months of intense rehearsal, gaining not only musical refinement but a deep sense of collective purpose.