Born in 1953 in a family of musicians and music teachers, Shaila

was trained in tabla and vocal by her parents Manohar & Leela

Sardesai. During the early years, she was lucky to receive the

'talim' (training) from veteran singer Pandit Vasantrao

Deshpande. She was also trained in the light music tradition of

Maharashtra.

She married Pandit Sudhir Datar, the grandson of legendary

maestro Pandit Bhaskarbuva Bakhale. She received her early

training in classical music from her husband who is a disciple of

Pandit Ram Marathe. Later, on a government scholarship Shaila

was trained extensively by the great exponent of the Kirana Agra

Gayaki Pandita Manik Varma. Further she also received rigorous

talim from Pandit Gajananbua Joshi.

She continued her quest for understanding the nature and

tradition of Pandit Bhaskarbuva Bakhale’s Gayaki – the Khayal,

Thumri, natyasangeet and other forms of music. In this quest she

received blessings and guidance from stalwarts like Pandit Ram

Marathe, Swararaj Chota Gandharva and Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur.

Apart from concert singing, Shaila contributes greatly to

dissemination and research on music. Her deeply researched

biography of Pandit Bhaskarbuva Bakhale - Devgandharva is a

significant contribution to the research in music and theatre in

Maharashtra . She also published a compilation of Pandit

Bhaskarbuva Bakhale’s Bandishies – Madhusanchayan (edited along

with Sudhir Datar).
She has received several State Government and Literary awards for

her books.

As a trustee of Devgandharva Bakhalebuva Trust and President of

Pune Bharat Gayan Samaj (established in 1911 by Pandit

Bhaskarbuva Bakhale) Shaila is deeply involved in organizing

music concerts of stalwarts, encouraging young artists and

teaching music. Apart from this Shaila has contributed greatly

to the culture of Maharashtra by producing Radio programmes and

Documentary films on artists like Master krishnarao, Master

Dinanath Mangeshkar.

As a tribute to her Guru she also performed full concerts

specially designed to incorporate her Guru’s Gayaki. Recently

she gave a five day concert – each day dedicated to a particular

form of music from Classical to Bhavgeet. Shaila lives and

teaches music in Pune.

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