Born to music-loving parents, Bhagyalakshmi Chandrashekar was initiated into vocal music at the tender age of six and veena at the age of nine. She was put under the tutelage of Guru Mudikondan Narayanaswamy Ayyar (disciple of Sangita Kalanidhi Mudikondan Venkatarama Ayyar and Kumbhakonam Rajamani Sastrigal). She graduated in Music with a Gold Medal from SRC College, Trichy, in 1972. While at college, she participated in many State-level competitions in vocal and veena winning many trophies. Among the awards the notable ones are the All India Radio Music Competition in 1971. In 1974 she got first prize in the prestigious veena competitions held by The Music Academy and The Indian Fine Arts Society of Chennai. She is an ‘A’ grade artiste of All India Radio. Her veena recitals have been aired on the Doordarshan, BBC, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and Rupavahini. Over the years she has performed at several platforms, both in India and abroad, as a solo artiste as well as in tandem with other instruments (Jugalbandis).