A founder Trustee of Saptak, Smt. Rupande Shah hails from a family which has contributed to the development of cultural and music institutions in the city of Ahmedabad. Her father late Shri Kantilal Manilal was a great connoisseur of music. From her childhood, she was initiated in various performing arts, viz. music, dance and drama. Her music study started at home at a very early age under Shri Raosaheb Mhasker of Gwalior Gharana.

She started her dance training at Darpana at the age of 8 under the guidance of Smt. Mrinalini Sarabhai and Shri Chatunni Panicker. At Darpana she got intensive training in Bharatnatyam, Kathakali and Kuchipudi for more than 10 years. She received the first prize in classical dance at the All India Inter-University Youth Festival at Delhi in '58. She was the first student of Darpana to perform the Arangetram in the year 1960 at the age of 20.

She has travelled widely all over India and through out the World with Darpana as one of the lead dancers. She performed in famous ballets, like Tasherdesh, Bhanusinher Padavali, Geet Govind, Kurvanchi etc. She also performed solo at various places in India. She received critical acclaim for her performances.

At Darpana she also participated in the Gujarati theatre. She acted in several plays and performed lead role in Shilapadikaram, Navalsha Hirjee, Nishkruti etc. Her performances received rave reviews. She received the Best Actress Award of the Sangeet Natak Academy in the year 1975/76. She also appeared in various TV drama serials during that period.

In 1963 she accompanied Smt. Mrinalini Sarabhai to visit the Institute Of Advanced Studies In Theatre Arts in New York as an Assistant Director to her for staging the Sanskrit Play, Swapna Vasavdatta with an all American cast. At Darpana she also imparted training to young students in Bharatnatyam and Kathakali for several years.

Even when she was focussed mainly on dancing she continues her training with Shri Rasosaheb Mhasker. She devoted herself to Rabindra Sangeet and Gazal singing under Shri Surendra Jaitley and was a performing member of the Geetali Group. After that she pursued her training very seriously in Classical Music. Ustad Gulam Kadir Khan, Pandit Maniramji and Ustad Gulam Ahmed Khan imparted her intensive training. Finally Pandit Rajan Mishra guided her in the Banaras Gharana style, helped her to expand her repertoire and initiated her in the finer points of concert performance. She has developed her style of singing in which Gwalior Gharana, Agra Gharana, Mewati Gharana and Banaras Gharana are seen and reflected.

She is a regular A grade AIR and TV Artist. She has given performances in major cities of India and has given recital in the most prestigious of Akashwani concerts viz., Tuesday night concert, Saturday National Programme of music, twice and Diwali Sangeet Sammelan three times. She has been awarded the prestigious Gaurav Puraskar by Gujarat State Sangeet Natak Academy.

She is one of the Founder Trustees of Saptak Public Charitable Trust which is dedicated to the cause of classical music. Apart from being associated with the day to day administration of the activities of the Trust she also oversees the vocal department at the Saptak School of Music

Some details of public concerts '

Gujarat'Omkarnath Sangeet Samaroh and Baiju Sangeet Samaroh in almost all over Gujarat for the last more than 20 years. Also performed in

Mumbai'NCPA, Shivranjini, Sajan-Milap and other music circles.

M.P.' Bhopal - Baba Allauddin Khan Academy, Gwalior - Tansen Sangeet Samaroh

U.P.'In Varanasi - GRITMA,In Meerut For Sankalp

New Delhi'Gunudas Sangeet Samaroh Smt Siddheshwari Devi Academy,Dagar Smriti Samaroh and Other music circles.

Rajasthan'In Jaipur - 'Shruti Mandal & Pt. Manmohan Bhatt Smriti Sangeet Samaroh And Sankalp., In Udaipur Maharana Kumbha Sangeet Samaroh