Tabla maestro, Dr. Aban E. Mistry (6^th May, 1940 – 30^th September, 2012) was posthumously presented the ‘First Lady of India’ award, on 20^th January, 2018, by Hon’ble President of India, Ramnath Kovind, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. In an event organised by the Ministry for Women and Children Development and officiated by MP, Maneka Gandhi, Dr. Aban was honoured as ‘India’s First Lady Tabla Maestro’ whose indepth research about the history of the tabla, shattered the myth that the Persian Khusro introduced tabla to India, by her discovery of an ancient mural in the Bhaja caves, Maharashtra, that depicted a woman playing the tabla.

Dr. Aban E. Mistry, PhD, authority on Tabla, a Sangeet Praveen (tabla), Sangeet Alankar (vocal), Sahitya Ratna (Hindi & Sanskrit) and Sangeet Visharad (sitar) was affiliated with Universities as mentor, jury member and visiting professor. Her legacy includes several books and papers authored by her on Indian classical percussion music, which are acknowledged as treasures. She had co-founded ‘Swar Sadhna Samiti, Mumbai’, with her guru – Pt. Keki S. Jijina, for the propagation of Indian Classical Music and Dance.  Her solo tabla performances, India and abroad, won her numerous awards from prestigious organizations.