Kamala Shankar

{{Short description|Indian classical musician (born 1966)}}

{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox musical artist

|background = person

|name = Kamala Shankar

|image =

|image_size =

|origin = Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1966|12|05}}

|birth_place = Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India{{cite web|title=Her guitar is a Shankar |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/her-guitar-is-a-shankar/article6291577.ece |website=thehindu.com |date=7 August 2014 |access-date=24 January 2025 |url-access=subscription}}{{cite web|title=Giving Hawaiian guitar a classical makeover |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/giving-hawaiian-guitar-a-classical-makeover/article25960289.ece |website=thehindu.com |date=10 January 2019 |access-date=24 January 2025 |url-access=subscription}}

|instrument = Shankar guitar

|genre = Indian classical music

|occupation = Musician

|years_active = 1984–present

|website = {{url|drkamalashankar.com}}

}}

Kamala Shankar (born 5 December 1966) is an Indian classical musician specializing in the Gharana tradition. She has created her own instrument, a custom version of a Hawaiian slide guitar that she calls the Shankar slide guitar.{{cite web|title='Shankar guitar' performance enthrals audience |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/shankar-guitar-performance-enthrals-audience/article2794743.ece |website=thehindu.com |date=25 July 2016 |access-date=24 January 2025 |url-access=subscription}}{{cite web|title=Handshake Concert: Raj Bhavan sings for friendship and unity|url=https://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/handshake-concert-raj-bhavan-sings-for-friendship-and-unity |website=easternmirrornagaland.com |date=3 December 2016 |access-date=24 January 2025}} Shankar founded the Shakara Arts Foundation in 2007, and she holds a doctorate degree from Banaras Hindu University. She received the Kumar Gandharva Samman award from the government of Madhya Pradesh in 2013.