He started learning training taleem in 1953 under PanditGyanPrakashGhosh of Calcutta (now Kolkata), who pioneered the concept of tabla ensembles, which employed numerous tabla players playing the same pieces; a tradition later taken forward by Shankar himself. His other gurus were Pt. GyanPrakashGhosh,UstadFeroz Khan, PanditAnathNath Bose and PanditSudarshanAdhikari.