Sukanya Ramgopal was born on 13 June 1957, at Mayiladuthurai in Tamil Nadu, as the fifth child of Subramaniam and Ranganayaki.

[2][3] Later, she was sent to learn the violin at the music school Shree Jaya Ganesha Tala Vadya Vidyalaya near her home, set up by the family of the ghatam exponent Vikku Vinayakram.

[3] Vinayakram's father T. H. Harihara Sharma noticed that Sukanya was more interested in mridangam class there.

[5] She has performed ghatam with famous Carnatic musicians like Lalgudi Jayaraman, M. Balamuralikrishna, Palghat R. Raghu etc.

[6] She leads an all-female instrumental group, the Sthree Thaal Tarang, which includes ghatam, violin, veena, morsing and mridangam.

[5] She was also featured in the book The Singer and the Song: Conversation with Women Musicians by C. S. Lakshmi, published by Kali for Woman in 2000.

[6] Sukanya has also received several titles like Vani Kala Nipuna (meaning:Speech and art expert)[7] by Sri Tyaga Brahma Gana Sabha, Laya Kala Nidhi (meaning:treasure in rhythm and art) by Bhandup Fine Arts Society, Mumbai, Layakala Prathibhamani (meaning:rhythmic art genius) by Percussive Arts Centre, Bangalore, Naada Laya Samragni (meaning:queen of tone and rhythm) from Sree Ramakrishna Bhajana Sabha, Bangalore and Laya Vadya Chathura (meaning:Rhythmic musical elegance) from Anna Nagar Music Circle Trust and Sadguru Sangeetha Vidyalaya.