Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon (née Krishnamurthy) is a globally recognized business leader, Grammy-nominated artist,^[5] and humanitarian. Her stated mission is to elevate human happiness through music and education – working on the dual prongs of emotional and economic wellbeing.

Her passion for fostering emotional well-being is focused on emanating love, joy, and transcendence through her music and artistry. As The New York Times wrote, Chandrika traveled an “unlikely path to become an internationally recognized Indian singer.” At the height of her business career, she reevaluated her life and definitions of success, reformulating her business life to intentionally include music, service, and meditation. Since 2005, under her non-profit music label, Soul Chants Music, Chandrika has released four albums – Shivoham – The Quest, Soul March, Soul Mantra, and Grammy-nominated Soul Call. She draws on ancient Vedic chants that have sound healing impact and melds it with Indian classical music, and has attracted a wide cult following. Her Shivoham – The Quest album is an oratorio describing her own path to finding the light. Chandrika's newest album, Ammu’s Treasures, slated for a September 2023 release, is both a simple gift to her grandchildren and a monumental sharing and expression of intergenerational love. It is a hug for the world, using songs in multiple languages, Vedic chants, and visual animations to help all ages, especially young children, feel the love, light, laughter that is Chandrika's mantra. She has conducted numerous benefit concerts on world stages to sold-out audiences, including the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and Berlin's Olympiastadion.

Chandrika's economic well-being efforts are focused on higher education – in particular STEM – where she brings to bear her considerable business experience as one of the earliest and youngest partners of McKinsey & Company, and founder and chair of her advisory firm, Tandon Capital Associates. She chairs the Board of the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, named after her family's generous gift. This school has been a transformation success story, with a steady rankings climb, and proudly offers enhanced access to first generation and women students. NYU Tandon is involved in world class groundbreaking research in areas like cybersecurity and wireless. Chandrika is a Trustee of New York University, a Trustee of NYU Langone Health, a board member of the NYU Stern School of Business, and Chair of NYU’s Global Council. She is a Harold Acton Fellow at NYU and a Sterling Fellow at Yale, where she serves on the President's Council on International Activities. In addition, her Foundation has established faculty Chairs at Yale and Harvard Universities.

Chandrika has received several awards including the Gallatin Medal, NYUʼs highest honor, the Walter Nichols Medal for leadership and integrity, and the Polytechnic Medal recognizing her contribution to science and engineering.

She was inducted into the Horatio Alger Society of Distinguished Americans and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AMACAD), and has received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. She has also been profiled in print, on radio, and television, including in CNBCʼs The Brave Ones series.

She was named the inaugural Distinguished Alumnus of both the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA) and Madras Christian College (MCC), her two alma maters. Chandrika is currently developing the Boyd Tandon Business School at MCC and has supported senior and community centers in several Hindu temples in New York.

Early life

Chandrika was born into a Tamil family in Madras now called Chennai. She, along with her sister Indra Nooyi did her schooling in Holy Angels Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School in T.Nagar. Later she earned commerce degrees from Madras Christian College and the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.^[6]

Business career

Tandon was the first Indian-American woman to be elected partner at McKinsey and Company.^[7]

She established Tandon Capital Associates in 1992^[8] and has advised clients including Chase Manhattan Corporation, Comerica, Unibanco (Brazil), Suncorp-Metway Ltd. (Australia), Fleet Financial Group, Bank of America, Rabobank and ABN Amro.^[9]

Philanthropy

• NYU Tandon School of Engineering, New York, NY, United States – contribution of US$100 million, the largest donation by an Indian American in the US.^[10]
• American India Foundation – Trustee (2005–2011)^[11]

Education and governance

• New York University (NYU), New York, NY, United States
  • Trustee of New York University and NYU Langone Health ^[12]
  • Board member of the NYU Stern School of Business ^[13]
  • Chairman, NYU President's Global Council^[14]
  • Harold Action Fellow at New York University^[15]
• Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
  • Member, President's Council on International Activities^[16]
  • Sterling Fellow, where she serves on the President's Council on International Activities s^[17]
• Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA, United States
  • Member, President's Advisory Council^[18]
  • Founder, Tandon Global Clinics for Contemporary Western music training around the world^[19]
• Madras Christian College, Chennai, India
  • Founder and Contributor, World-Class Business Program^[20]
• Her Foundation has established faculty Chairs at Yale and Harvard Universities.

Awards

• Gallatin Medal – New York University's highest honor for outstanding contributions to society.
• Walter Nichols Medal – for representing the highest ideals of business, service and integrity from NYU Stern.
• Polytechnic Medal – recognizing her efforts for science and engineering.
• She was inducted into the Horatio Alger Society of Distinguished Americans and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AMACAD) and received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
• Received inaugural distinguished Alumnus award – from bother her alma maters Madras Christian College in 2013.^[21] and Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA).
• She has also been profiled in print, on radio, and television, including in CNBCʼs The Brave Ones series.

Discography

Tandon released her first music album, Soul Call (2009), on her not-for-profit label Soul Chants Music. This was recognized with a Grammy nomination in contemporary world music.^[22] She has released three additional albums: Soul March (2013), Soul Mantra (2014), Shivoham – The Quest (2017).^[23] and Ammu's Treasures (2023)^[24]

References