Sandeep Das (born 1971) is an Indian tabla player and composer. He was nominated twice for the Grammy Award (2005, 2009)． 　　Early life and education 　　Sandeep completed his schooling from St. Xavier's High School, Patna (1975–1985). He graduated in English Literature with gold medal from Banaras Hindu University. He started learning tabla under Shiv Kumar Singh at the age of 8. 　　Benaras Gharana 　　Sandeep started learning from Kishan Maharaj, under the Indian Guru-shishya tradition, at the age of 9. Sandeep would travel on weekends from his home in Patna, to Benaras, where his Guru lived. Later, his family shifted to Benares so that his musical education could continue unhindered. After 11 years of tutelage in Benaras Gharana, Das moved to Delhi in 1990, to pursue his career as a professional Tabla player. 　　Career 　　Sandeep's compositions exhibit both the Western and Indian genres of music. 　　In 1986, Sandeep made his stage debut in India(at the age of 15), with Sitar Maestro Pt. Ravi Shankar. He was three times the national drumming champion. He was also, at the time, the youngest drummer to be graded by Akashvani (radio broadcaster) (All-India Radio). 　　In 1991, Das debuted outside India, with steel drum bands in Trinidad. In 2001, he performed with the New York Philharmonic, under the direction of Kurt Masur for a work composed by Kayhan Kalhor. In April 2012, he premiered a work written for him by eminent composer Evan Ziporyn, as a soloist with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. His composition Tarang is the theme music for Blind Sight, a documentary about the first Everest climb by six blind climbers. 　　He has been nominated for the Grammy Awards twice. In 2003, his recording The Rain was nominated for a Grammy in the World Music category. In this album, Sandeep Das collaborated with Shujaat Khan and Kayhan Kalhor. In 2009, a recording with Silk Road Ensemble got him a nomination for the Grammy in the Classical Crossover section for the album Off the Map. His track Sulvasutra, composed by Evan Ziporyn, features in this album. 　　Silk Road Project Sandeep has composed for and performed internationally with the Silk Road Ensemble of Yo-Yo Ma since the group’s founding in 2000. When he started playing with the Silk Road, Yo-Yo Ma was surprised to learn that, Das did not read music scores, but could memorize a piece. 　　With the ensemble, he has performed extensively, including, the United Nations General Assembly Hall in New York in 2008, BBC Proms in 2004 and 2009, and the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympic Games in Shanghai. His composition Mohini, is the theme music for a 10-episode documentary on the Silk Road, produced by Japanese TV channel NHK. 　　Hum Ensemble 　　Also a cultural and educational entrepreneur, Sandeep founded HUM (Harmony and Universality through Music) in 2009, an ensemble of world-class artists whose goal is to promote global understanding through musical performance and education. The ensemble is a spin-off of the Silk Road project. In March 2010, HUM presented its World Premiere Concert at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi and Birla Sabhaghar, Kolkatta. In February 2011, Hum Ensemble performed at the Rhythm Of Life Concert at Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi and NCPA, Mumbai. 　　In November 2012, Hum Ensemble performed at the World Harmony Concert, at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi. The concert received critical acclaim in Indian media. Through these concerts, HUM raises funds for its endeavors to support education in arts of differently-abled children. HUM also plans to provide health insurance for aging artists. 　　Mentoring 　　In 2012, Sandeep Das was invited by the School of Education, Harvard University to teach a course on Arts in Education. He has taken masterclasses at Juilliard School of Music, Berkley School of Music, Rhodes Island School of Design, Harvard University Academy of Music in Villecroze, France and Stanford University.