U.S. recognition for mridangist
Rohan Krishnamurthy.
Mridangist Rohan Krishnamurthy has received an accolade from USA Today, a daily. The award, called the `USA Today All College Academic Team' is given to undergraduate students and is given by an elite panel of judges drawn from a wide spectrum of disciplines.
To be considered for this award, the candidates must be nominated by their college, possess excellent academic standing and also excel in leadership qualities and other achievements.
Familiar Chennai artiste
This year, Rohan, a student of mridangist Guruvayur Dorai and a familiar artiste in Chennai during the December Season, was selected out of more than 600 nominations nationwide. Rohan is also the only one from the entire state of Michigan with an overall undergraduate population in excess of 15,000. The USA Today citation says: `Rohan is an international mridangam performer and promotes the pitched South Indian drum and is redesigning the instrument to make it more durable and user-friendly.'
Rohan says, "This is a true vindication on the one hand the levels to which one can pursue Indian music in the U.S., and on the other, the spirit of America where merit of all forms, irrespective of origin and kind, is recognised. There is a lesson for most other nations here." He adds: "I hope this will encourage children of Indian origin in the U.S. to pursue what they like to do most and excel in that without inhibitions."
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