Shanoli Sen was born and brought up in Howrah. She belongs to a family where the tradition of music was very significant. Although her father, Late Mr. Arun Kumar Sen was a District Judge by profession, he was extremely passionate about Music and was capable of playing the Steel Guitar and the Tabla. Her first mentor on her musical journey was none other than her Mother, Late Mrs. Sushama Sen. Besides being a talented tabla player, Mrs. Sushama was also a gifted vocalist, earning her the position of a singer in Pandit V. Balsara's group "Saaz O Awaz".

Since childhood, her favourite leisure time activity was to sit on her mother’s lap and sing along with her mother, in a way honing her singing skills. Holding her mother’s hand, she stepped into the first Music school at the tender age of 3. The school was headed by Rabi Bhattacharya, father of the famous Santoor player Tarun Bhattacharya.

While progressing with her singing lessons, she decided to sit for various examinations at a very tender age. She was awarded the degree of Sangeet Prabhakar (Allahabad), Sangeet Visharad (Kolkata), Sangeet Visharad (Chandigarh) in Indian Classical Music and Sangeet Visharad in Rabindra Sangeet, when she had just passed Class 10. Shanoli Sen's ever-growing love for Music made her explore farther into the musical kingdom, aspiring her to learn the Piano. But her father's profession made it impossible for her to cope up with a large instrument like Piano. Nevertheless, her mother took her to Pandit V. Balsara Ji to take Piano Accordion lessons.

Thus began her tutelage under Pandit V. Balsara Ji. The bond between student and teacher remained unbreakable, sadly coming to an end due to V. Balsara Ji's demise in the year 2005. During the course of her tutelage under Balsara Ji, she learned to play the Piano-Accordion, Piano and Melodica. Continuing on her musical journey, she learned to play the Mouth Organ under the mentorship of Shri Saikat Mukhopadhyay. She also completed her degree in Western Classical(theory and practical) from Royal School of Music, London. Under Bidhushi Mandira Lahiri, she became proficient in the Vocal section of Indian Classical Music. She also learned Rabindra Sangeet from Shri Robin Mukherjee. She has received several awards, of which the closest to her heart is “Pandit V. Balsara Smriti Award”.

Shanoli Sen is a music director, music arranger, lyricist and has always worked as soloist. She worked at The Future Foundation School as Piano teacher for 15 years. She has been with the Sri Aurobindo Institute of Culture for the last 18 years as a teacher of Piano and Synthesiser. She also has her own musical institution, “Musical Fingers”, where students of all age groups learn instrumental music under her strict and careful guidance. Shanoli Sen is skilled in playing various musical instruments, namely- Piano, Piano Accordion, Synthesizer, Mouth Organ, Melodica, Ocarina, Recorder.

Shanoli Sen has already recorded 5 solo albums, including melodies of Tagore songs. The albums are 'Parampara', 'Purano Shei Diner Katha', 'Pratidhwani', 'Aankhon Mei Teri' and 'Raga modes of Tagore'.

Shanoli Sen, with her firm determination and strong dedication keeps excelling in her musical journey, in her way spreading the melodious joy among all. Quoting famous playwright William Shakespeare's words,
“If music be the food of love, play on……”