He graduated from York University with a BFA in Music and a BA in Creative Writing in 1985 where he studied writing with bpNichol, Frank Davey and music with David Mott, James Tenney, and Trichy Sankaran.
Sankaran has also worked in the fields of jazz, electronic music, and free improvisation with the composers David Rosenboom, Richard Teitelbaum, Charlie Haden, Pauline Oliveros, Paul Plimley, the Jazz Orchestra of York University, Anthony Braxton, Dave Brubeck, Glen Velez, Nexus, and World Drums.
Luthra has also performed and/or studied with such notable Hindustani and Carnatic music masters as Pandit Trichy Sankaran, Pandit Samir Chatterjee, Krishnan Lalgudi & Vijayalakshmi Lalgudi, Pandit Karaikudi Subramaniam, Steve Gorn, Kiran Ahluwalia, Sufi singer Zila Khan, and the iconic 1970s Indian cross-over star Asha Puthli.