In a historic moment for Indian music on the global stage, Carnegie Hall in New York has announced its inaugural Indian Music Festival, set to debut in 2027.
The three-day festival, scheduled to take place from May 21-23, 2027, will bring together world-class musicians from India, offering New York audiences a deep, immersive exploration of India’s classical music traditions and its vibrant contemporary voices. For Indian artists, the initiative creates a rare and prestigious platform at one of the world’s most iconic cultural institutions.
The annual event is made possible by a $10 million gift from Ila & Dinesh Paliwal and their family foundation, dedicated to supporting the festival’s performances. As part of the festival, select Indian artists will also be recognised with the Carnegie Hall Fellow Award with their work highlighted through the Hall’s programming.
Reflecting her deep commitment to music and the mission of Carnegie Hall, Ila Paliwal, a New York–based, award-winning vocalist, composer, songwriter, producer, and philanthropist, has also been recommended to join the board of Carnegie Hall at the board’s upcoming meeting on February 25.
The Ila and Dinesh Paliwal Foundation champions charitable causes across education, arts, culture, stewardship and climate action. Speaking about the Carnegie Hall Indian Music Festival, Illa Paliwal says, “I am delighted to see plans for Carnegie Hall’s new Indian Music Festival coming to life and am deeply honoured and looking forward to joining the board,” as she signs off.