FROM GURU-SHISHYAPARAMPARA TO DIGITAL PEDAGOGY: SOCIO-ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION IN INDIAN MUSIC EDUCATION

Indian music education has historically evolved through the guru shishyaparampara, a personalized and immersive system rooted in tradition, devotion, and experiential learning. While this model ensured artistic depth and lineage based transmission of knowledge, its reach remained limited to select disciples within specific socio-cultural contexts. With the advent of institutional structures in universities and music departments, indian music gradually transformed into a structured academic discipline, making certification, professional recognition, and wider participation possible. In the contemporary digital era, the emergence of online platforms, virtual classrooms and social media has further transformed music pedagogy. Digitalization has democratized access to training, expanded geographical reach, and generated new income avenues for musicians through online teaching, content creation, and global collaborations. This change has significantly contributed to employment generation, skill development and economic monility within the music ecosystem. This paper critically examines this educational shift from traditional to institutional and digital methods, and analyses its socio-economic implications. It explores how formal education, technological integration, and policy support have redefined career concerns regarding commercialization, authenticity, and quality control. By situating music education within the broader discourse of socio-economic development, the study argues that a hybrid pedagogical model integrating tradition with technology holds the potential to sustain cultural heritage while fostering economic prosperity.