 Venkatesan.Bergamo has also studied North Indian classical music with Ali Akbar Khan at the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, California, leading to a spell as Khansahib's road manager in late 1960s, and later playing with Ali Akbar Khan on works of a contemporary nature (such as the album "Journey" in 1990).In 1979 Bergamo studied the thavil in Chennai, India.