Smt. Mala Viswanathan started learning veena from the tender age of 9 from Shri. Vellore Sreenivasan. Constantly guided by her parents Shri. V. S. Ranganathan and Smt. Visalakshi Ranganathan, she was blessed to continue her musical journey with the Veena maestro Shri. Chittibabu from whom she absorbed unique techniques, musical nuances and the passion for teaching.