Palash Sen is an Indian singer, songwriter, composer, musician, physician, actor and director. He founded and leads Euphoria, whose Hindi pop-rock recordings helped establish independent band music in India during the late 1990s and 2000s. He has also acted in films, directed short-form cinema and continued medical work as an orthopedic surgeon.
Background
Ethnicity:
He has described his paternal heritage as Bengali and his maternal heritage as Dogra.
Palash Sen was born on September 23, 1965, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, to Rupendra Kumar Sen and Pushpa Sen, both physicians. His family background has been described as Bengali on his father's side and Dogra on his mother's side. He grew up principally in Delhi and also spent part of his childhood in Srinagar, maintaining a connection with both the capital and Kashmir.
Sen's family had a strong medical tradition, but music and performance became equally important in his early life. He was active in theater and singing while attending school, and his friendship with fellow St. Columba's student Shah Rukh Khan connected his school years with another future Indian entertainment figure.
Education
Sen studied at St. Columba's School in Delhi, where he participated in theater and singing and became friends with Shah Rukh Khan. Founded in 1941, the school is a prominent Delhi institution associated with the Christian Brothers and with academic, cultural and extracurricular education.
He subsequently studied medicine at the University College of Medical Sciences in New Delhi and received an M.B.B.S. degree. Established in 1971 as a constituent college of the University of Delhi and associated with Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, UCMS provides medical education and clinical training within Delhi's public health system. Sen's medical education qualified him to work as a physician while he developed his parallel career in music.
Career
Sen began composing songs during his college years and initially wrote in English. His early composition “Heaven on the Seventh Floor” was associated with his college hostel, and his medical-school period led to the formation of Euphoria in Delhi in 1998. Debajyoti Bhaduri, known as DJ Bhaduri, became a longstanding collaborator and an important creative partner in the band's development.
As Euphoria's founder, lead vocalist and principal creative force, Sen helped shape a Hindi-language pop-rock sound that incorporated Indian folk and broader world-music influences. The band's first major release, “Dhoom Pichuck Dhoom,” became a widely recognized Indian independent-music song, while later albums included Phir Dhoom, Gully, Mehfuz, ReDhoom, Follow Your Dreams and Item. Euphoria's songs “Maaeri,” “Dhoom Pichuck Dhoom” and “Aana Meri Gully” became particularly associated with Sen's career. In 2026 the band released Dhoomsday, extending its recorded work into a ninth studio-album era.
Sen has also worked as a playback singer, lyricist and composer for Hindi, Bengali, Tamil and other Indian film productions. His film-related singing and composition credits include Filhaal..., Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge, Lamhaa, Hum Tum Aur Shabana, Bapi Bari Jaa and Kuku Mathur Ki Jhand Ho Gayi. He made his acting debut in Filhaal..., appeared in the anthology film Mumbai Cutting and acted in the Bengali film Sondhey Namaar Aagey.
In addition to acting and music, Sen directed the short film Jiya Jaye and continued performing with Euphoria in concerts, television programs and music specials. His public work has included appearances connected with FameX, Channel V Popstars, MTV Rock On, MTV Unplugged and NDTV Greenathon. Alongside entertainment, he has maintained his professional identity as an orthopedic surgeon in Delhi.
Achievements
Founded Euphoria in Delhi in 1998 and developed the band into one of India's best-known Hindi pop-rock groups.
Helped popularize an Indian independent-band sound that combined Hindi rock and pop with Indian folk and world-music influences.
Created and performed widely recognized Euphoria songs including “Dhoom Pichuck Dhoom,” “Maaeri” and “Aana Meri Gully.”
Expanded his career across medicine, recorded music, film acting, playback singing, composition, lyric writing and direction.
(Hindi film featuring Sen as an actor and singer.)
2015
Sondhey Namaar Aagey
(Bengali film in which Sen appeared as an actor.)
2014
short film
Jiya Jaye
(Short film directed by Sen, marking his work as a filmmaker.)
2017
Views
Sen has spoken of pursuing creative work for its own value rather than treating music solely as a commercial career. His interviews also express a preference for maintaining a professional life outside the conventional Bollywood system and for preserving the identity of an independent band. He has connected his music and public work with the idea that artistic ambition can coexist with professional responsibility.
Personality
Sen has described himself as committed to balancing medicine and music, referring to his public identity as a combination of doctor, rocker and actor. In interviews he has emphasized Delhi as an important part of his identity and has spoken of travel, live performance and the continued relevance of independent music.
Interests
Travel, live performance, theater and independent music.
Writers
He has expressed admiration for Gulzar's writing.
Music & Bands
His musical work is rooted in Hindi pop-rock and incorporates Indian folk and world-music elements through Euphoria.
Connections
Sen is married to Shalini Sen. They have a son, Kinshuk Sen, and a daughter, Kyna Sen. Kinshuk has pursued music and acting, continuing the family's connection with the performing arts.
Wife:
Shalini Sen
Sen's wife; she has been described in interviews as a scientist and lecturer.
Son:
Kinshuk Sen
Musician and actor who has worked in stage and screen performance.
The New Indian Express: Prescription pop
Profile discussing Euphoria's twenty-fifth anniversary, Sen's identity as an orthopedic surgeon and the band's continuing concert career.
