Globally acclaimed as a trailblazer, Prasanna—widely known as Guitar Prasanna—is celebrated for pioneering the performance of Carnatic classical music on the modern electric guitar. A disciple of Tiruvarur S. Balasubramaniam and violin maestro A. Kanyakumari, he blends deep-rooted tradition with contemporary innovation, earning him recognition as one of the most versatile and influential artists to emerge from India. Alongside Pandit Ravi Shankar and A.R. Rahman, Prasanna is among the few Indians to have composed for an Oscar-winning film (Smile Pinki, 2009). His work spans award-winning Indian films (Vazhakku Enn 18/9), international jazz and fusion projects, and collaborations with legends like Esperanza Spalding, Victor Wooten, Joe Lovano, Ilaiyaraaja, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Dr. L. Subramaniam. Featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, Jazz Times and more, his music has been described as both groundbreaking and deeply soulful. A Magna Cum Laude graduate of Berklee College of Music, Prasanna has received honors including the Lifetime Achievement Award for Carnatic Music (2003), IIT Madras’ Distinguished Alumnus Award (2021), and a place on Open Magazine’s 50 Most Creative Indians. Beyond the stage, he founded the Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music (SAM) in 2009, one of South Asia’s premier music institutions, and continues to inspire new generations worldwide through his teaching and performances.