In Conversation With Edupreneur, Ayush Bansal

Ayush Bansal - An edupreneur, who is very passionate and devoted towards his dream of making India a better place by empowering the underprivileged youth. He is the Co-founder, Director of Medhavi Foundation which is working for the cause of education.

What else should I write to introduce him, in one word he is an 'Inspiration'.

Medhavi Foundation

Let's read what he has to share with us.:-

1. Before we begin, tell me in a nutshell about yourself.
   
   => I am a young (age-23) social edupreneur working with an objective to empower under-privileged youth of India. Its been almost 2 years, since I completed my education life from PESIT, Bangalore and ICFAI Business School, Gurgaon. I work with the motto of “work hard, party harder”. I love music, concerts and most importantly, I love my work.
2. On the basis of your educational background, you did MBA after completing BCA from PESIT. When did you realise that social entrepreneurship is your true calling?
   
   => I have been involved in many social projects from my graduation days in Bangalore. And since then, I had this intuition of doing some social contribution in a magnified way. I would say, second year of my MBA was the time when I thought of walking into the field of social entrepreneurship.
3. You also worked with Evalueserve and Prayatna School of Excellence before becoming an entrepreneur yourself, how was your experience?
   
   => I worked with Evalueserve for about 16 months as an equity research analyst, and it was a great learning experience for me in terms of getting fit into the corporate level and understanding company management and process. Fortunately, I got a bigger role as a fresher in this field which helped me to learn tremendously.
   
   And Prayatna School of Excellence was a bigger chapter for me, where I got a platform to get close to the ground realities of social problems and come out with solution for the same.
4. What inclined you towards edupreneurship?
   
   => Poor Indian Education system, absence of a powerful learning platform. You see there is this huge problem in Indian Education sector, and I see that as an opportunity.
5. Like all other ventures, there are challenges while getting off the ground with limited resources. What was the biggest challenge you faced and how did you overcome it?
   
   => Human capital is one area where I have faced challenges. Getting funds, money for any good project is not a big deal in India now, but getting dedicated people on your board is a tough task. When you have a vision of reaching out to 5 lakh under-privileged students, you need to have lot of good people on board. The tough part is to incentivize them so that they stick around. I would say, I am still struggling on this very part and trying to come up with solutions.
6. At any instance, through all the struggle, did you ever feel like backing out and taking a job rather for your own security?
   
   => Never ever did I feel like backing out. I was rather thinking opposite, backing out from my job & getting into full time entrepreneurship, which I did when I was in a job. :) And I would tell you this is the most difficult part, when you are in a well settled job, getting fix cash flow in your account, and suddenly you have this crazy idea which you are passionate about, which just doesn't make you sleep, eat etc. That very moment defines your life when you take that hard step to back out from a salaried job and get out to roads on your own.
7. I have seen it’s generally very difficult for entrepreneurs to convince their family to allow them to pursue what they want to. How difficult was it for you?
   
   => Yes, it gets more difficult when you are a social entrepreneur and you belonging to a business family. Being an entrepreneur, it’s very important that the first buyer of your idea is your family/girlfriend/friends. You need to sell your idea to them first. On this part, I would say, my dad has been very supportive, and we together have taken steps to go forward and settle my life in phases and actions.
8. Being a edupreneur you’re working not only for your own dream but also for our country’s dream. How has the journey been like?
   
   => The journey has been smooth with few bad patches. But I was fortunate to have Pravesh Dudani, my co-founder who has always showed me the right way to go ahead in those difficult times.
9. Entrepreneurship can be a success or a failure depending on a number of factors. What would you say is the most important factor?
   
   => The 2 most important ingredients of entrepreneurship: A.) An idea/project which solve a problem, and you are dead passionate about executing it. B.) A strong team which think in line with you.
11. 1. And rest things, they just come by your way. But the most important is an idea and the team. I meet a lot of young people (B-schools, young grads, IITs, eng etc.) who wants to be an entrepreneur, but they just want to be one. It never comes out only with willingness to be an entrepreneur, but one should have a valid idea and a team.

10. How can social entrepreneurs attract talent when there aren’t high salaries and options?
    
    => There has been a shift in the field of social sector. People in this sector are being now called as ‘’social professionals”. Its the buzz. There is no shortage of cash inflow in your account. And I completely go by that. No donor mind give funds to a non-profit body which has high budget for its employees and management, no one mind paying a lac salary to a person who is impacting lakhs and lakhs of under-privileged. There has been a positive shift in the way people used to think about joining a social organization, and it has not been very difficult to attract people in this sector anymore.
11. How did the idea behind Medhavi Foundation come up? How did you collaborate with Mr. Dudani, the co-founder?
    
    => Its a long story, and a very complex one to be narrated here. Would love to speak at a stretch and let you know about how did we come up with Medhavi Foundation. Co-founder, who is Pravesh Dudani, an IITian and a serial entrepreneur, he is a gem of a person. I am fortunate to have a person like him as the co-founder of Medhavi Foundation. We are family friends and belong to the same place (neighbors to be very specific). Pravesh is very senior to me, and I have always gone to him at time of taking guidance and support. I have always been discussing with him on the part of what’s happening on my side. At the time when I was about to initiate project EduDisha, I went to him and had a long discussion. Fortunately he was working on the same domain in for-profit business. That was the inflexion point where we decided to work together for this project and then ultimately went forward to start Medhavi Foundation. All that we have done this far wouldn’t have happened if he was not there. Its very important to have a team, and he is my team :)

12. How long did it take to execute the whole idea of empowering underprivileged youth of India through Medhavi?
    
    => 15-16 months is what it took us to come up with a structured project. It took us 3 pilot projects which validated our idea, the problem we were solving, and the impact we were creating.
13. A lot of people are interested in volunteering for NGOs. So, for the readers to know would you please describe the whole motive of Medhavi Foundation?
    
    => Medhavi Foundation is a youth led non-profit organization which is working with the objective of empowering underprivileged youth of India. A section 25 non-profit company (NGO), with registered office in New Delhi. It currently operate in 3 states of India: Delhi, Haryana and Jharkhand, working with 20,000 govt. school students (std. 9-12). The company currently has 3 full time people in the core team and 200+ volunteers from premier B-schools, corporate and psychology colleges.

14. Tell us about the project EduDisha.
    
    => Project EduDisha - MAGE program provide under-privileged youth (std. 9-12 student from a low income family) a trusted platform where he/she is Motivated, made Aware about viable career options, scholarships and financial educational schemes, given personalized sustained Guidance and helped to Enroll in a higher education or vocational institute.
    
15. You are also a Yatri. Tell us what all Jagriti Yatra is about? How has it evolved you as a social person?
    
    => Jagriti Yatra is an ambitious train journey of discovery and transformation that takes hundreds of India's highly motivated youth on an 15 day national odyssey. The aim is to awaken the spirit of entrepreneurship.The vision of Jagriti is to inspire young Indians living in the middle of the Indian demographic diamond (Rs 40 - Rs 120 per day) to lead development by taking to enterprise. Jagriti Yatra helped me to come closer to the ground problems, meet people who have done so much in the field of social sector, and get inspiration and guidance from them which absolutely evolved me a social person.
    
16. What can government or society do to encourage more social entrepreneurship?
    
    => There is nothing much the government can or should do. I believe it should concentrate on what is should really do. And, social entrepreneurs like me should assist govt. in their initiative of country development rather than creating a parallel body.
17. Where do you see yourself, I won’t go too far, say three years from hence?
    
    =>At the end of the 3 years, I would see Medhavi Foundation changing lives of at least 1 lac under-privileged youth of our country.

18. Any advice for emerging entrepreneurs/social entrepreneurs?
    
    => Be cool, stay calm, believe in your idea, and execute your idea ASAP. _____________________________ Rapid fire round:

• Favorite Place?
  => Leh
• Favorite Cuisine?
  => Italian
• Favorite Gadget?
  =>My Blackberry phone :)
• Favorite Book?
  => I don’t have the patience to read them.
• Your role-model?
  => Rahul Batulia, Founder of Rubbabu.
• Any hobby that you wish to inculcate?
  => Like getting some time out for myself every day into activities like swimming, cycling, playing different sports etc.
• If you were to write a book someday, what would it be about?
  => Entrepreneurship

In Conversation With Mili Nair

Mili Nair - A singer trained in western music who shot to fame in the music industry surely doesn't need an introduction. She has won accolades for singing Amit Trivedi's composition - Badri Badariya on MTV Coke Studio. Mili is a stylistically diverse vocalist interested in, and influenced by different musical genres. She has a First Concert Certificate, The Bronze Level in choral music from the Trinity College of Music London and a Grade 7 from the Royal School of Music London, all of which she has passed with a Distinction. She has also completed the Grade 8 examination in singing with the Royal School Of Music London.

1. When did you start singing?
   
   
   => Before I started to talk, I used to hum tunes with ease. Perhaps I was a little more than a year old then.
   
   
2. What is your first memory of being inspired by music?
   
   
   => Music was always a part of my household. My parents were always interested in Music. It was a part of our daily life from the time I can remember and I was lucky to listen to a wide spectrum of genres from a very young age. So I guess I can say that music inspired me at a very early age.
   
   
3. What is your fondest memory of music in your childhood?
   
   
   => As a child I loved Christmas for the carol singing that we did. My fondest memory of music as a part of my life is of Christmas when I was 14 and I got to sing in the best Children’s choir at NCPA hall in Mumbai. I still look forward to sing carols because it’s such a community activity. Then there were National competitions in school that encouraged music a lot! Come to think of it I was extremely lucky to be in a school that took music and children with talent very seriously. That helped me imbibe a discipline in music that’s helpful even till this very day.
   
   
4. When did you realise that music is your true calling and it’s time to take a lead?
   
   
   => I realised it was my true calling as such when I was in college. There was a rock band I was a part of and then I started learning jazz. I got various opportunities to collaborate with big musicians in India who were doing jazz. So when the big opportunities came by and the response was phenomenal I decided that it was music for me as a career.
   
   
5. How did you get initiated in jazz?
   
   
   => Jazz is something I picked during my formative years in the country and abroad. I got an opportunity to perform live with jazz guitarist and composer Vinny Valentino at the Java Jazz Festival 2009 in Jakarta. One thing I like the most about jazz is that you can break a structure, and there is a lot of scope for improvisation. I found that jazz music opened another world completely.
   
   
6. Generally musicians pursue one single genre but you are influenced by different genres. How did that happen?
   
   
   => I have been extensively influenced by jazz, Soul and R&B. I love experimenting with different genres of music. Then of course I have studied Carnatic music as a child and with Bollywood music all around I guess that’s a perk of being in India. You get to hear so much!
   
   
7. Which vocalists, jazz or otherwise, influenced you while you were growing up?
   
   
   => There are so many. Freddie Mercury of Queen, Bruce Dickens of Iron Maiden, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Sting, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Chitra, Remo Fernandes. It’s a vast list and I can go on and on but these are the names I can remember now.
   
   
8. What are the new projects you are working on?
   
   
   => I have written two songs and I am looking forward to collaborate with various musicians. The songs are based on our own experiences in life. I am hoping the album will release sometime next year. I am now gearing up to make a mark as a song writer.
   
   
9. How did it feel to get a chance to be a part of Coke Studio?
   
   
   => Personally it was all a very very new experience for me, the lights, cameras and all but I was at home when I had to just Sing my heart out with an Amazing bunch of musicians and a Brilliant Composer. It was a WONDERFUL opportunity to work with Amit Trivedi! It still feels surreal. I feel happy and blessed to have sung on 2 of his beautiful compositions. :)
   
   
10. How has Coke Studio changed your life?
    
    
    => At this point in my life, to be associated with MTV and Coke Studio is actually a big deal. What Coke Studio is providing is a great thing for India to witness, to know that something apart from the mainstream music is actually happening in India. And to be a part of it is like a fantasy fulfilled. 
    
    
11. My personal favorite is Badri Badariya. Tell us something about the song.
    
    
    => This song has the most extreme contrast of notes and as a singer it was a challenge. Working with Folk artist Mame Khan was a blessing! What a voice! This song is all about fresh romance, it depicts love during the rains. On how no one can escape the feeling of romance in the air!
    
    
12. Also tell us something about the song Yatra.
    
    
    => Yatra is a song that talks about the ultimate journey of life. It’s about the dreams that move you forward while the memories keep you rooted.
    
    
    It’s got a pop-rock feel but it also has influences of Africa in there. It’s an amalgamation of genres and it has been merged together just to see that it seamlessly flows.
    
    
13. How was the experience of working with A.R Rahman? 
    
    
    => A defining moment was when I was called by him for the Telugu film Komaram Puli and Raavanan. It was a great experience!
    
    
14. How hard is it for the budding musicians to enter the industry?
    
    
    => Pretty hard actually. But with Youtube, Facebook and other social mediums it’s easier now for musicians and songwriters to get their music to a wider reach and if that does well it will definitely get noticed by music directors who want new voices. There’s also some luck required! 
    
    
15. Who is your favorite jazz musician?
    
    
    => Can’t name one so I’ll name a few who are my favorites. There’s Ella Fitzgerald, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dianne Reeves, Diana Krall, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock to name a few from a very large list of favorites!
    
    
16. What is the best compliment you have ever received?
    
    
    => That my voice brings happiness to people! That is the greatest reward!
    
    
17. Of all your own songs, which one is your favourite?
    
    
    => I’m in the process of writing my own songs and will release them soon. Otherwise I have loved singing on Amit Trivedi’s composition Badari Badariyan for Coke Studio@MTV Season 2.
    
    
18. Owing to the fact that you are married, tell us about how easy or how difficult it has been for you to manage time with both of your professional and personal life? 
    
    
    => It’s a great journey. Music has become an inoperable part of my life. But it hasn’t been without hard work. I am married and my husband Hamesh is also a musician and that is an added advantage. In fact he’s my biggest support system. Yes crazy schedules and work keep us really busy most of the time but we both are doing what we love and respect each other’s profession and lives. 
    
    
19. What advice would you give to other musicians trying to get off the ground?
    
    
    => I would just say that it’s important to improve and focus on your strengths. Believe in Yourself, believe in your music and the rest will follow!
    _______________________________

*Her projects include working with A.R Rahman, Harris Jayaraj, Deepak Dev and Amit Trivedi.
*She has sung on numerous advertisements, which includes the Maaza campaign for Coca Cola.
*Her recent work for Harris Jayaraj's Hit 'Rettai Kathire' is currently topping the charts in Kollywood.
*Mili has also sung for India's Leading Dj, DJ IVAN for his First International Release "Music Is My Life"
*The remixed version of 'Aaja Aaja' in the movie 'Ek Main Aur Ek Tu' has also been sung by Mili. 

An Interview with the entrepreneur Ritesh Agarwal

Ritesh Agarwal - An entrepreneur, an author, and a part-time scientist, indeed a child prodigy; what shall I write to introduce him, he leaves me amazed with his dynamic profile.

Worth Growth Partners

Let's read what he has to share with us: 

1. On the basis of what I know about you, you are a child-prodigy! To begin with tell me about your
earliest childhood dream, what you wanted to be when you were a kid?

=> Deep sea diver, a traveler and Banking as a full-time profession, these were the things Ivisualized myself doing. I know I have to justify: Why Banking? It was because I felt that Bank is the only place which had the combination of sexy formals, less work, more money and more time for your better half

(Yes, even then I used to think of a family. Chuckles!)

2. You were just 13 years old when you started working with Bharti Airtel Ltd. Tell us about the project on which you worked?

=>“ROAR WITH SPEED”-The project that I was leading at my concerned areas. It was the boom-boom time of telecom. We were designated the tough project of 1 million consumers in10 months and YES, WE ACCOMPLISHED. First Success ;)

3. Being just 13 year old, how did you get into such a project? What made you initiate your career at such a stage of life?

=> Glamour of working there coupled with a non-sync of character and thought with peers made way. I wanted to do something different since childhood and the right people opened up right doors. Rest all is as they say - BURRED.

4. You also worked with GSK and Astha International before becoming an entrepreneur yourself. How was your experience with it?

=> Lovely Corporate culture & experiences - It was there that I learnt what it is like handling a team, what does being the boss feel like and what it means to get people to work ‘with’ you and not ‘for’ you.

5. You were 16 when you got invited to the Mini Lindau-Asian Science Camp to interact with Nobel Laureates and students across the globe and discuss scientific research. How was your experience with it?

=> “Renaissance”-That took me to the next level. Many around me might not acknowledge but that sort of an exposure changed me. That was the time my heart spoke-“I Have Arrived” Haha..

6. You started Worth Growth Partners, an International Business Services Company when you were just 16. That’s something incredible! How did the idea come? What brought out an entrepreneur in you?

=> This is interesting. A German Friend wanted to expand to India and understood nothing about how it works here-especially because of the bureaucratic red-tape. I said I would do and once that was executed-till date there has been no looking back.

7. You have also authored- “An Encyclopedia of Indian Engineering Colleges”? What made you think of writing it?

=> This was again Entrepreneurship. Here’s the blog about it: Entrepreneurial Author

8. You are an author, an entrepreneur and also a part-time scientist. What do you like being the most and why?

=> None. In case they are the options: Entrepreneurship is any day the best thing. The idea is to spend every minute creating and delivering fun and value. If there isn’t an option - being a person whom people perceive as lovable would be the answer.

9. Where do you see yourself after 10 years?

=> I play the Sachin way-“Take one ball at a time”. So overall I can just say that I may not be single then.

10. Tell us about your ‘Hospitality disruptor’ project. What is the whole idea behind it?

=> That is my dream curation. Can’t reveal a lot of details but for the initiation it brings back the Indian Culture of staying in other’s home rather than hotels in a big-big commercial ways. The results, as they say, only time will tell.

11. You have also registered at U of London’s India Center as a regular student. What are your aspirations with it?

=> Haven’t got time to be there since long; I try to teach at Amity generally as a visiting professor.

12. Just because you do a lot of things you seem to be a busy man. How do you define ‘fun’ in your life?

=> Spending quite evenings at my home or grooving away at clubs I love clubs like Agni or Aqua-although I don’t drink. They are contrasts which define me and hence are the reason that I can get along with any person and snatch across a talk.

13. Tell us in a nutshell about who is Ritesh Agarwal in reality. Someone who likes to play basket ball and raft at Rishikesh or someone who is building his own stair-case to endless success?

=> Hey, do you follow me Saumya? You know so much. On a serious note - Both. I just spend time the best way I can by appropriate means. In case it is work-I love doing it and enjoy then - similarly when I play basketball I love shooting those 3-pointers back to back..

14. From your profile you seem to be an amazing dream-chaser. There are plenty of dreamers on this earth; what would you advise to them?

=> Start working for your dream or somebody else will someday put you to work to chase his’-ahead you are intelligent enough.

Rapid fire round:

Q: Favorite cuisine?

=> Punjabi.

Q: Favorite place?

=> Mussorie.

Q:  Favorite book?

=> The Dork Series by Sidin and Harry Potter.

Q: Who inspires you?

=> Larry Page from Google Inc

Q: Favorite music?

=> Jazz is generally the genre

An Interview with the music-composer Salil Bhayani

Have you ever tried to come up with a tune on reading a lyric? A majority of you will have no as an answer. Well, some of you may have. And in case you had, you would agree with me when I say that it's one of the most difficult thing to do. But, not if you are gifted.

Presenting the most different interview till date of a super-talented and extremely humble music composer, Salil Bhayani, who is also a final year student of UICT, pursuing B.Tech, a vocalist, a pianist and a writer with passion towards philosophy, music and science.

Salil Bhayani performing jazz piano at NCPA

Let us read what he has to say about his life and his passions:

1. You are a final year Student of UICT -Mumbai, pursuing B.Tech. in Oils, Oleo chemicals and Surfactant technology. How do you find yourself fitting in with this, don’t you feel like being completely devoted to music?

=> I have a great liking for science and I think science and math would be a part of my life throughout. My friends who have never seen me study in my four years of college wouldn’t agree to that but I have never considered what I am made to do as part of fun. Fun is what I do voluntarily. It can be the same thing that I found boring earlier, but it has to be voluntary.

I  do feel like devoting myself completely to music. I shall be doing it in a matter of few months.

2. Give us a glimpse of your background. Do you have anyone in your family who has been related to music in any way?

=> My grandfather is a great musician but he was more of an academician and never pursued music as he could have. My father never got a chance to learn though he is a natural. My mother has learned a bit of music too. So it’s in the blood.

3. You started composing when you were just 13 years old. What made you think of giving music composition a try?

=> My mother is solely responsible for me being a composer. She saw a friend of mine who is an artiste create a painting interpreting one of the poetries written by APJ Abdul Kalam. She thought that if one can paint a poetry, why not compose music to it? That’s when she gave me my first song(A gujarati prayer), which I consider one of the best I have done till date. There is a lot of innocence and devotion in it.

4. You have composed about 30 songs of Gujarati and Hindi languages. Tell us about one experience in the journey of so many compositions that you can never forget.

=> The journey has been really picturesque. I have seen myself paint on an aural canvas. The art of composing has been very different than singing or playing piano. The process of evolution is very different. In performing arts, the skill is directly proportional to the no. of hours you put into it, but with composing, your first composition can be way better than what you composed today. It’s just like writing a poetry. But I have been able to connect myself to my compositions and there is a very high amount of honesty in each one of them.

5. Which is the first song you scored music for and which is your favorite song among all your compositions till date?

=> My first composition as I mentioned above was a prayer in Gujarati. I have no favourites as such. I have a select few which I like the most, but no particular song is a favourite.

6. You are learning vocals since the age of six. What is your first memory of being inspired by music?

=> Since I have been into music since a young age, I can’t recollect my first memory, but there have been infinite instances of inspiration.

7. How do you come up with a tune? Is it through the process of experimenting with an instrument or you are just knowing what to play?

=> 99% of the times, I just sit with a keyboard or simply a tanpura and try different tempos, time signatures, permutations with notes before I come with something definite. So it is a process of experimenting, but more so with my vocals rather than an instrument.

8. What's the best piece of advice you have received in the field of music composition?

=> Fantastic question. The best advice I have received is to be honest and rest all will take care of itself :)

9. Music is something where you have endless things to learn and practice. Tell us about your Guru Shree Sanjeev Chimmalgi, and what you are learning from him?

=> I learn Hindustani vocal classical music. There is nothing I can say about him that can describe the magnanimity of his persona. I say this with a perception of him both as an artiste and a guru. And he is a genius at both. Very rarely does one come across people who can be great artistes as well gurus at the same time. Learning under him is not just an honor, but a true blessing. I only pray to God to give me the capacity to imbibe his teachings to the fullest.

10. You are also learning Western classical and Jazz Piano under Mr Clifton Rodricks who is a jazz and blues pianist. What made you decide to learn this specific instrument?

=> Piano is an extremely dynamic instrument. Learning piano teaches a lot about orchestration, owing to it’s wide range of frequencies(Harmony aspect) and it’s percussive mechanism(Rhythm aspect). Moreover, I have seen my grandfather playing a harmonium. I had a small keyboard myself which I still have. So I can relate best to the instrument. It’s very necessary to be able to relate to the instrument to learn music, rather than just developing a skill set to play it.

11. You have lately performed jazz piano at NCPA. How did it go?

=> It was one of the most rewarding experiences I have had. One, because of the grandeur that place has, and second, the grand piano, which has a stupendous sound and touch. A real pleasure to play on.

12. You have won several awards and appreciation from great legends of the music industry. How do you feel about everything you have achieved so far? 

=> I don’t really know how much I have achieved. I know how much I want to. And these appreciations and accolades have made me sure that I will achieve what I want and to keep at it no matter how much time it takes and how much disappointments are lying in the path.

13. What advice would you give to other musicians who are trying to get off the ground?

=> I really am not in a position to give advices to anyone.

14. Do you compose music for lyrics or vice-versa? Or is it a mix n match of both?
=> I do not compose lyrics. So it’s always music for lyrics.

15. Apart from the fact that you inherit the legacy of music from your family, who else had been a source of inspiration for you to enter the music world?

=>Mr Narayan Parasuram has been the greatest source of inspiration for me. He is one of the finest music directors(Music Director for the film Jajantaram Mamantaram) and musicians, and he has never spoken inspiring words to me about doing music and achieving things. He has encouraged me by assuming that music is what I am going to do, which is a rare kind of inspiration to get.

16. You also like reading and creative writing. Tell us about what you like reading and what do you like writing about?
=> I am deeply interested in philosophy. Rather than describing what exactly I like reading, I shall just name a few authors which will make it self explanatory: Ayn Rand, Harper Lee, Richard Bach, Rabindranath Tagore, Alice Miller, Desmond Morris etc to name a few. I also like reading science. I write about music, philosophy, life and preliminary technical articles related to science.

17. What all do you see yourself doing in 2012?

=> I see myself working for a lot of music related projects and preparing for my Trinity Guildhall Piano Exam grade 5 and ABRSM Jazz Exam Grade 3.

Rapid-fire round:
Q: Who is the god of music direction in India according to you?
=> No Gods really. I would say Mozart/Vivaldi if they were Indian.

Q: Your style of music?
=> Classical, Indian and Western.

Q: Favourite singer?
=> There are lots.

Q: Favourite instrument?
=> Again, nothing in particular.

Q: Favourite place for music.
=> An anechoic room.

Q: What do you like being more: a music composer, a pianist or a singer?
=> Definitely music composer.

Q: Who is your role model in music industry?
=> Shankar Mahadevan.


One of the Hindi Compositions by Salil - Mera Mann

An interview with the pop-artist Nikita Choudhary

Nikita Choudhary - A 3rd year computer science student, good at programming and a gifted artist who inculcates pop art as her passion, which is a totally different genre, rarely pursued by Indian artists. She chooses to paint portraits of those celebrities' who have always enamoured us and have been an integral part of our life in terms of inspiration, admiration and in some cases, aspiration.

                                                         Einstein by Nikita Choudhary

Here goes a very interesting conversation that I had with her:

1. Tell us where you’re from and how did you get started in the field of art?          

=> I was born in Bikaner then my family moved to Jodhpur for my education. Funnily, it all started with scribbling in notebook when I used to get bored during lectures. Then one day I saw an art work of Syd Barrett and I told myself “M gonna do it” infact, that was my very first painting as an artist.

Syd Barret - First painting.

2. How did growing up in Jodhpur affect you as a person and an artist?

=> Honestly, I never liked this place. So, mostly I used to spend time with myself rather than hanging out with friends. It definitely helped me a lot. I got more and more time for myself and I kept practising on different art forms.

3. What is your family background? Were there any artists or creative sparks in the family?

=> Not at all. No one in my family is anywhere close to art. They all are into entrepreneurship. I am the exceptional one.

4. How has your work evolved over the time since you begun?

=> I’ll just say “NOW I CAN PAINT”. Yes, when I started, I didn't even know how to hold a paint brush and use colours. Now, I am pretty much confident and now I just play with colours.

Ronaldo on Canvas by Nikita Choudhary

5. How would you describe your paintings in words?

=> My paintings describe me. I paint what I like, what I feel, my emotions and feelings. You can always make out from my paintings what was I feeling at that time. My paintings are what I am and what I love.

6. What do you hope the viewer will take away from your paintings?

=> More than the beauty or how it looks, I want them to see the emotions on the face of the person I'm painting and the story behind it. I believe, every face tells a story about their hard work and struggle. I want people to read that.

7. You have painted a lot of celebrity portraits. What exactly draws you to that specific style instead of say photo-manipulation, or abstract design?

=> It’s all about your own ideas, what you believe in and what makes you happy. I have seen and read about many art forms. For me pop art and abstract art was something very new. People generally don't work much on it because you can always use photo-shop and different picture editing software. But what if you add pop art with abstract art? It becomes all a new thing. Here, even a small idea of yours own make a lot of difference.

8. What styles would you like to further inculcate in your art?

=> Once I learn more I want to go for allegory. It is what writing is for a writer. The only difference is writer uses words to express and in allegory, figures and portraits are used to express something.

9. How do you feel about having 2000 subscribers on facebook? Isn’t it an amazing feeling to see so many people liking your work? We would love you to share your happiness here.

=> People generally ask me if am some local celebrity and I just laugh. Initially when I started I didn't know so many people will like my work. It was shocking for me to see so many people commenting on my work and asking for it. Yes, you love it when your work is appreciated. Some even criticize but you can’t stop working. People make fan pages and websites. I find it really very hectic. Artists are very lazy. For me, my own profile works as a fan page or website. People can connect with me directly. It makes me really happy when people personally text me writing about my work.

On Canvas by Nikita Choudhary

10. How did you start getting offers from music merchandise stores in the country? You told me it all happened in 2 or 3 months.

=> Yes, I started with this in October. Initially, I used to paint on white sheets. Then I moved to canvas. I had friends from music and fashion industry. They started talking about my work and I guess that's how I got in contact with everyone. By the end of November, I started getting offers from different stores to sell my paintings to them. To be very honest, I am not a professional artist. I just paint because I like it. I am not that skilled. So for me, getting into such things at this stage was not a good option. They wanted me to paint according to them and I obviously didn’t want that.

11. Tell us about your deal with music merchandise in Bangalore | Hysteria?

=> I used to sell my paintings on my own. People used to contact me asking for the paintings. In the beginning it was all good but it got very difficult when too many people started asking for the paintings. So I decided to sell all my work to one person/place and people can buy it from there. I then called the owner of Hysteria and made a deal. They’ll be framing the paintings, selling my work at their stores from January. For me it was such a relief. All I have to do now is send all the paintings at one place.

12. What upcoming projects do you have?

=> I am designing logos for few bands, doing their album artwork. I am also working on few new paintings which are again based on entirely a new concept.

13. What new concept are you working on?

=> For the new concept, I will be using plaster of paris in my paintings and I will also paint pop art with more colors and of people who are not just into music or movies but other fields too.

14. You are a Computer Science student doing engineering from Jodhpur Institute of Engineering and Technology. Why did you choose this subject for your graduation?

=> I was good at programming when I was in school. I hated mathematics and all other subjects but computer science was something I loved learning. To me, college didn't make any difference but the subject did because I knew, in the end, I’ll end up handling the family business.

Nikita Choudhary with her painting

15. You progressed so excellently in art. Are you still continuing with the passion you had for programming?

=> Sadly, no. Everything requires practice and dedication. After getting into art, I couldn't give much time to it. I still enjoy programming but I don't get much time to do that. More than programming, I enjoy painting and I spend all my time in doing that.

16. What are your plans after your graduation? Would you go for a job or would you pursue your art and take it to another level?

=> Definitely I am not going for a job right now. I’ll join an art school after my graduation. Right now, I want to learn more and more about different and rare art forms and make a new art form out of them.

      17. Then what about handling family business? Would you participate in that?

=> It is up to me. I always had an option related to what I am studying right now but art is no where close to anyone in my family, so I'll be working on my own. It's going to be a whole new start for me.

By Nikita Choudhary

Rapid-fire Questions:

Q. Favourite Place?
=> Venice

Q. Favourite Art Museum?
=> The Louvre museum, Paris.

Q. Favourite Painter? 
=> Nature

Q. Favourite Portrait that you have painted?
 => My first painting, art work of Syd Barrett

Q. Any other hobby that you wish to inculcate?
=>Reading

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Nikita Choudhary