Arati Ankalikar Tikekar is a noted Hindustani vocalist who sings in Agra as well as Gwalior-Atrauli gharanas. She is a receiver of National awards for best female playback twice. In 2006, she won it for Konkani film Antarnad and in 2012 she received the same for the song, "Palakein Naa Moondon" of Marathi movie, Samhita. Her songs in movies - Antarnaad, De dhakka, Savlee, and Sardari Begum are very popular. Her most popular albums are Tejomay Nadbrahm and Raag-Rang. She has also sung for a few Hindi movies. Arati Ankalikar-Tikekar is currently recognized as one of the top vocalists of the younger generation. She frequently appears in television reality shows as guest judge and gives interviews to television channels as well.

Arati was born on January 27, 1963 in Mumbai. As she received formal training from gurus of different gharanas, her singing style is a rare combination of great qualities from various gharanas. Her training started with Pandit Vasantrao Kulkarni of the Agra Gwalior gharanas, followed by Kishori Amonkar of the Jaipur Atrauli gharana, Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar and Pandit Dinkar Kaikini. Arati stood first in the All India Radio competition held during 1983 and 1984 in Indian classical music, thumri and ghazal, thus becoming one of the rare singers to continuously win all the three awards sucecsively for two years. She has won many scholars also. She has received the Mayor Award (2001) and the Kumar Gandharv Samman by the Madhya Pradesh government (2006-2007).