I feel blessed to have been a student of PSBB School. The teachers, under the dynamic leadership of Mrs.YGP, have the acumen to identify the inherent talent in each student. In fact, it is their forte. They create an atmosphere where the student is allowed to open up. His strength is assessed and nurtured to blossom further.

Till date I receive the blessings of my teachers who keep tabs on my career and correct me when I am wrong. G.J.R. Krishnan, R.K.Sriramkumar, Mullaivasal Chandramouli and Anuradha Sriram were all my school mates. A similar atmosphere continued in Vivekananda College too, where I did my B.Com.

I was exposed to music from childhood because of my environment. Our family has always had an ear for good music. It was not a formal training under my mother, but a natural exposure, while she was teaching or practising.

I came under the tutelage of D.K. Jayaraman in 1977, and after his demise it has been under his sister D. K. Pattammal. My mother was his student. Since my talent was spotted at a very early age, to shape it up well, I was made his student. The Vedas speak of three types of Gurus. DKJ is my Uttama Guru. He was like Sage Narada, knowing every minute detail about his disciples and giving them what they needed. He would go out of the way to teach kritis.

So it is with DKP. Once, knowing that I was going to sing on Shyama Sastri Day, she summoned me over phone to come and learn the rare ‘Mangalam’ composed by him! Until then I never knew of its existence! DKP amma keeps track of my development. As she is aging there are no regular classes now, but it is Divine guidance I get from her.

You’d be surprised to know that I was trained by Kumbakonam Rajappaier in playing the mridangam. I even reached a performing level in it.

It is an eternal search. Through music you reach God. We are told that it has to go on and on till we realise it.

Earlier the country and God were seen as one. For Bharatiyar, Parasakti and Bharat Matha were the same. The freedom fighters underwent untold suffering to gain Independence for us.

Desa bhakti is very important. Sacrifice begins at home and slowly permeates into society. Sardar Vallabhai Patel was a great administrator and We are yet to see a person like him. Dr.Rajendra Pasad had great respect for ancient arts. A lot of fillip was given to cultural development and music during his tenure. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam largely emulated him.

At home we never allow ourselves to forget those who toiled for the country. That should explain the presence of pictures of great leaders in our house.

I take each concert as an experience and not a test. I enjoy the camaraderie with my colleagues in the profession. We share a good rapport. The large-heartedness of the seniors who are now past their fifties is a lesson for us youngsters to imbibe. Why should there be room for politics when there is space for every one? The talented and the industrious will win recognition, sooner or later. No one can come between the performer and the rasika. Our seniors have paved the way, let’s follow them.