Shankar Mahadevan (born 3 March 1967) is an Indian singer and composer who is part of the Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy trio that writes music for Indian films. In 2023, he was awarded a honorary doctorate (honoris causa degree) by Birmingham City University.

Shankar Mahadevan was born in Chembur, Mumbai into a Tamil Hindu family originally from Palakkad, Kerala. He learned Hindustani classical and Carnatic music as a child, and began playing the veena at the age of five under Shri Lalitha Venkataraman. Mahadevan studied music under Pandit Shrinivas Khale and T.R. Balamani.

He is an alumnus of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour High School, Chembur and graduated in 1988 with a degree in Computer Science and Software Engineering from the Ramrao Adik Institute of Technology in Navi Mumbai, affiliated to Mumbai University, and was a software engineer for the company, Leading Edge. After working for Leading Edge Systems (now Trigyn Technologies Limited), Mahadevan ventured into music.

He has two sons, Siddharth Mahadevan and Shivam Mahadevan, both of whom are singers. Mahadevan got early fame as an indipop star with his fusion of Carnatic, Hindustani and Jazz. At that time, his non-film album, Breathless topped the Indian music charts in 1998.

Awards

• 2000: National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer – “Yenna Solla Pogirai” (Kandukondain Kandukondain)
• 2007: Swaralaya-Kairali-Yesudas Award for outstanding contribution to Indian film music
• 2007: National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer – “Maa” (Taare Zameen Par)
• 2008: Kerala State Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer – “Kalyana Kacheri” (Madampi)
• 2009: Asianet Film Award for Best Male Playback – “Pichavecha Naal” (Puthiya Mukham)
• 2009: Annual Malayalam Movie Awards (Dubai) for Best Male Singer – “Pichavecha Naal” (Puthiya Mukham)
• 2011: Lata Mangeshkar Award by Government of Andhra Pradesh
• 2011: Kerala Film Critics Award for Best Male Playback Singer – “Indhumukhi Varumo” (Holidays)
• 2012: MAA Music Award for Best Male Playback Singer – “Nee Dookudu” (Dookudu)
• 2012: National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer – “Bolo Na” (Chittagong)
• 2015: Tulu Cinemotsava Awards for Best Playback Singer – Rikshaw Driver (Tulu Movie)
• The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind presenting the Padma Shree Award to Shri Shankar Mahadevan, at an Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on 11 March 2019
• 2019: Padma Shri Award for his contributions to Film Music under the category Arts.
• 2023: Awarded a honorary doctorate (honoris causa degree) by Birmingham City University.