Anika Neema Atikukke, an 11-year-old sixth-grader at Brookside Middle School in Allendale, NJ, has achieved remarkable milestones in her musical journey. A laureate of the World’s Best Musicians Competition, she earned a Diploma distinction in 2023. She received an Honorable Mention at the 2024 and the 2025 American Protégé International Piano & Strings Competition, securing a performance at Carnegie Hall, New York for both years. She also won third prize at the Charleston International Music Competition and a Bronze prize at the Colors of Chopin International Piano Competition. Anika holds two Steinway & Sons Certificates of Achievement and has also performed at the New York Indian Consulate.
Beginning piano at age 6 through the Shankar Mahadevan Academy, Anika now studies under the renown Indo-American jazz composer and pianist Charu Suri, exploring global music fusion. She also plays the flute and earned a nomination for the 2024 North Jersey School Music Association honor band. Beyond music, Anika enjoys basketball, Bollywood films, Harry Potter, and Taylor Swift’s melodies.
You can find Anika’s 2024 Summer Music Competition piano performance here.
Watch Anika Neema Atikukke perform Polonaise in G Minor by Frederic Chopin on the piano for the 2025 Spring Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.