(January 22, 2023) In 2007, the year Rishabh Seen first heard the Foo Fighters and t their frontman, Dave Grohl, he knew his life had changed forever. “It was one of those moments where you just know that you’re experiencing something that will change you,” he said in an interview later. Until that point, Rishabh Seen, who belonged to an illustrious family of Hindustani musicians, had devoted himself to the classical tradition on the sitar.
Steeped in tradition
Rishabh Seen
Rishabh’s childhood in Jalandhar was spent immersed in music. His grandfather, Ustad Lachhman Singh Seen, is an acclaimed tabla maestro and music scholar, with his works preserved in the national archives. Rishabh’s father, Manu Kumar Seen, is an accomplished sitarist. Growing up in this environment, Rishabh began vocal training at the age of six and his sitar practice started four years later. Despite the family’s deep devotion to classical traditions, his father helped him understand the world of possibilities the sitar afforded him.
Still, his knowledge of what lay outside classical music remained limited and Dave Grohl came as an inspiration. “It changed my entire vision about life and music in general,” Rishabh said. “I discovered that progressive metal was based on instrument-driven songs and that is the point where Indian classical and metal meet.” His enthusiasm compounded when he realised there wasn’t anybody out there who seemed to have had the idea of sitar-metal, or even a band led by any instrument other than a guitar, keyboard or drums.
Dave Grohl and a journey of discovery
Rishabh’s own journey of discovery continued, and he went from the Foo Fighters to Slipknot and Nirvana. “It was around 2011, when I just played a metal song on the speakers. My dad, wondering what on earth was happening, came by to check on me. What was surprising was that he really enjoyed what he was listening to,” he said in an interview. Technically speaking, too, the two forms of music are very different. Hindustani classical music involves playing one scale or raaga in a 45-minute concert. With metal, a single song can contain several scales.
At first, the young Global Indian’s efforts were not well received. Metal was seen as dark and hairy, while the sitar receives reverence. His fortunes turned in 2015 when he released his first cover of Animals As Leaders’ ‘Tempting Time’. In no time, the song garnered lakhs of views. That was also the year he founded his band, Mute The Saint. They produced covers of artists like Animals as Leaders, Steven Wilson and Meshuggah and were a success. While the two genres might stand as polar opposites, to the trained and untrained year alike, Rishabh saw only common ground, a similarity “in terms of evoking an inner revolution and spreading peace.”
In 2016, Mute the Saint released a self-titled album and two years later, the second, which contained a bunch of covers of Coldplay and Foo Fighters. Rishabh has performed with singer Arijit Singh and solo headlines sitar metal shows.
(October 19, 2023) When UmaSofia Srivastava was just a little girl, she'd stay up late with her mom, captivated by the dazzling beauty pageants on TV. During one of those magical moments, she declared to her parents, "I'll be a beauty queen one day." Fast forward to today, and that dream has become a reality for this 17-year-old from New Jersey. After enduring weeks of scrutiny and competition, she was crowned the new Miss Teen USA. "Is this for real?" the teen from New Jersey exclaimed soon after the host of the evening, Justin Sylvester, declared her to be the winner of the contest. UmaSofia, who is of Indian and Mexican heritage, emerged triumphant from a talented group of 51 young women representing every state in the USA "I am so grateful and honored that I’m the first Mexican-Indian, first New Jersey, your Miss Teen USA 2023," she wrote on social media, adding, "This night is truly the best night of my life because I was crowned with the people that have loved and supported me throughout everything cheering for me in the audience." "The class of 2023 is truly so special. Getting to stand alongside each of my intelligent, impactful,
ruly the best night of my life because I was crowned with the people that have loved and supported me throughout everything cheering for me in the audience."
"The class of 2023 is truly so special. Getting to stand alongside each of my intelligent, impactful, and beautiful sisters already made me the luckiest girl in the world," the Global Indian added. "I have so much more to say, but for everyone who believed that a girl like me could win, who had a kind word to say or thought to think for me this week, I am so grateful. I’m yours USA!"
Not just a pretty face
A junior at the Academy of St. Elizabeth in Parsippany-Troy Hills, UmaSofia grew up in a family that supported all her dreams and aspirations. However, there were times when the teenager would feel lonely. "Growing up I did not see a lot of representation for people from either India or Mexico in the USA. I am glad that slowly but surely things are changing now. I would like to be a part of that change, and now especially since I have won this crown."
A lot more than her age, UmaSofia is a staunch humanitarian. She believes in ethnic diversity, cultural inclusivity, and societal equality, and is the cofounder of the Diversity and Inclusion Campaign at her school. The owner of the famous blog website, 'That's Fan Behavior'- which covers everything from feminism, her experience as a woman of colour, interviews with changemakers, and the many other things she’s passionate about - the beauty queen is also a published author with the title “The White Jaguar” to her credit.
"My dad's nickname for me growing up was 'his little jaguar', and that's what inspired the title of my book. Sometimes because of my background, I felt like I did not fit in. So, my book is about a little white jaguar, who has a different coloured coat than the other jaguars in the jungle. And she goes on a journey, where she meets other animals who help her embrace her differences. I aimed to create a story that would deeply connect with immigrants of colour, offering them hope and encouragement to wholeheartedly embrace their authentic selves without apology. I was able to incorporate a little bit of myself into the story," shared UmaSofia, who didn't want the book to be just in English. "People who come from diverse backgrounds - like me - don't just communicate in English at home. So, I have included words from several languages in the book, including Hindi, Spanish, and French."
More crowns to win
Motivated by the impactful work of changemakers both in the United States and around the globe, UmaSofia joined hands with the Lotus Petal Foundation, where she champions the well-being of underprivileged children in India. Her involvement spans various initiatives, encompassing education, nutrition, and healthcare, all aimed at fostering the holistic development of these young minds. As a passionate advocate for education, she took it upon herself to gather and contribute more than a thousand books to the Bridge of Books Foundation. Her generous act aimed to enrich the world of knowledge for economically disadvantaged children in New Jersey, ensuring that the wealth of literature reaches those who need it most.
While she is gearing up to represent her state and country in various other beauty competitions, the teenager is also working towards becoming a UN ambassador after finishing her graduation. Sharing a piece of advice for all the girls who are going to participate in these competitions, UmaSofia said, "I think what's most important is to stay true to yourself. We all have goals, ambition, and passion. But it is imperative to be open and accepting of other people's aspirations and journeys as well."
(April 13, 2024) "Are there any fishes in the water?" or "What's the depth of the water" were some of the questions that a curious 9-year-old scuba diver and eco-crusader Tharaagai Aarathana asked her father Aravind Tharunsri before starting to swim across the Palk Strait in the beautiful morning of April 3, 2024 at Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. Having waited out for 1.5 hours for the wind to calm down, she along with her dad and cousin Nishvik were ready to take the plunge in the calming water of the ocean. "I am comfortable with deep water, otherwise I get scared to jump into the water as you can touch the sea floor," smiles Tharaagai as she connects with Global Indian. Swim across the Palk Strait It's the first time that a father-daughter duo has swam across the Palk Strait together, clocking an impressive time of 11 hours and 30 minutes and securing a place in Assist World Records. However, their motivation transcends mere record-breaking; their swim is for a bigger purpose - to raise awareness about ocean pollution and environment conservation. Tharaagai was only three when she began accompanying her father to weekly beach cleanups and soon learnt about
urs and 30 minutes and securing a place in Assist World Records. However, their motivation transcends mere record-breaking; their swim is for a bigger purpose - to raise awareness about ocean pollution and environment conservation. Tharaagai was only three when she began accompanying her father to weekly beach cleanups and soon learnt about ocean pollution, leading her to take charge as an eco-crusader. Even during the 30-km long stretch between Talaimannar in Sri Lanka and Dhanuskodi in Tamil Nadu, the trio remained committed to their cause, gathering 6 kgs of plastic waste. "Every piece of plastic we spotted floating on the ocean's surface, we made sure to retrieve and stow away in the boat," recalls Tharaagai.
Enduring nearly 12 hours in the water is no easy feat, especially for a nine-year-old who was accompanied by her seven-year-old cousin Nishvik. "I have been swimming since I was three. All these years of water adaptation have helped me stay put for a very long time. With each challenge, I push outside my comfort zone and that's what I did with the Palk Strait swim too. At times, we have to face strong currents or daunting waves but we adapt to the challenges and face them," smiles the eco-crusader.
The 30-km swim
The journey began from Dhanuskodi after getting clearance from both the Indian and Sri Lankan governments. "We boarded a mother boat in the afternoon of April 2 to reach Talaimannar in four hours. The big boat provides essential amenities like beds, food, and restroom facilities. It also carries the support crew consisting of doctors, physiotherapists, and their assistants, two support swimmers, and a kayak," reveals Aravind, who is a scuba diving instructor. To ensure their safety, they were accompanied by a mother boat, a rescue boat, a backup boat, and a kayak.
Starting in the wee hours of April 3, Aravind, Tharaagai, and Nishvik, who were waiting for the weather to clear out, braced themselves for a long day ahead. "It's a non-stop journey without any breaks," explains Aravind, adding, "You can drink water or eat a banana or dates or nuts from the accompanying kayak." However, setting off before dawn had its perks as they had the opportunity to witness bioluminescence, (emission of light by living organisms), which captivated the two kids. "That's one of the things we love about night swimming," smiles the girl.
[caption id="attachment_37127" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Swimming across the Palk Strait[/caption]
Given their years of swimming experience, the duo didn't undergo any special preparation for the 30km swim. "We have been constantly swimming and gymming - for stretching to avoid any cramps during swimming along with some cardio," reveals Aravind for whom mental fortitude was equally important as he recognised the unpredictability of the ocean.
With decades of scuba diving experience under his belt, Aravind felt relatively prepared for the challenges. "Throughout the swim, I kept the kids motivated by engaging in small talk or plays so that they don't fell the fatigue. I kept them distracted so that they dwell on how far is the finishing line," he laughs. However, the final four hours proved to be the most challenging as they had to swim against the current. "If we stop swimming, the current would push us back. So, we kept moving forward despite the strong current," adds Tharaagai, who was welcomed by a cheering crowd at Dhanuskodi.
Swim for a cause
Aravind calls himself "a proud father" seeing his daughter create an impact as an eco-crusader. "Till now, she has collected 2000 kg of plastic waste from ocean and beaches," beams Aravind, adding, "More kids are getting inspired and joining us for future adventures to create awareness. The idea is that if my daughter can do it, everyone can do it." Aravind firmly believes that the future generation has the power to create change. "If we ask the government to stop manufacturing plastic bottles, it won't happen. But these young kids are witnessing the harmful effects of single-use plastic on the environment. In the future, one of them would ascend to positions of influence - be it Chief Minister, Prime Minister, or Forest Officer. That's when these efforts will truly matter," says Aravind.
An eco-crusader
The Chennai girl's love for water is a gift from her father who started adapting her to water when she was all of three days old. By the time, she was nine months old, she began floating and in the next two years, she was swimming like a pro. Her bond with water kept strengthening with each passing day, and at the age of five, she started training for scuba diving in shallow water.
[caption id="attachment_37128" align="aligncenter" width="562"] Aravind with daughter Tharaagai[/caption]
Growing up near the sea made her aware of the marine pollution and the plastic menace on the beaches. At a young age, she understood "how plastic and abandoned nets were adding to the pollution and affecting marine life." With some hand-holding by her father, she sat through awareness programs and training, absorbing every bit of information about endangered marine species, especially the Dugong (sea cow). "With 150 dugongs left in India, she decided to save them from plastic pollution. She is creating awareness among kids through presentations in various schools," says Aravind, who founded South India's first-ever scuba diving center Temple Adventures in Pondicherry in 2007.
His passion for protecting the environment has rubbed off on his daughter as the two are now working as a team of eco-crusaders. "Every week, we clean up the beaches and the ocean beds. I then segregate the plastic and send the one that can be upcycled to the recycling plant. While the other is taken care of by the government who dispose of it properly," reveals Aravind.
Tharaagai, who is being home-schooled, wants to be a scuba diver when she grows up. But the nine-year-old is currently enjoying her work as an eco-crusader and wants more kids to join hands. "I alone cannot clean marine plastic, everyone has to participate," she signs off.
(March 25, 2022) Dancing across continents is a many splendoured thing. The beautiful and emotive Vrinda Chadha’s life has been a whirlwind of such experiences. It also shows the depth of her craft. A tryst with mudras which began at 13, has today created a body of work that is noteworthy. It started when the light footed Odissi danseuse would accompany her guru Ranjana Gauhar, a Padma Shri recipient to shows across India and internationally. Now 26, the Delhi-based dancer is also a faculty member at Gauhar’s Utsav dance academy. An accomplished dancer, another feather in her hat is that she is empanelled with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Doordarshan. Her evocative performances bring Odissi alive. [caption id="attachment_13347" align="aligncenter" width="511"] Vrinda Chadha, Odissi danseuse[/caption] Ask her about her performances, and the danseuse rattles off, “In Spain, Argentina, Korea, Japan, China, Singapore, United Kingdom, Madagascar, and Seychelles.” All this, as part of her guru’s troupe and also for solo renditions. With such a vast repertoire, awards have been aplenty too. The Nalanda Nritya Nipuna Award in Mumbai, Young Talent Award by the International Academy of Mohiniyattam in Delhi, the title of Odissi Ratna in Bhubaneswar, and the Kameshwari Award
repertoire, awards have been aplenty too. The Nalanda Nritya Nipuna Award in Mumbai, Young Talent Award by the International Academy of Mohiniyattam in Delhi, the title of Odissi Ratna in Bhubaneswar, and the Kameshwari Award in Guwahati, Vrinda is a member of the International Dance Council UNESCO, Paris and also a Teach for India fellow.
A step in the right direction
“I was always fond of dance and could express more through the artform than with words,” Vrinda shares in an interview with Global Indian. This knack for dancing was identified by her parents who took the Modern School, Vasant Vihar, kindergartener to Gauhar, who stayed in the same locality. A reputed artiste even back then, Gauhar’s mentorship turned out to be just the impetus the young Chadha needed to flourish.
“Guruji recognised my ability, honed my natural inclination towards dance, and gave me direction. For any person pursuing an artform, getting the right guru is the winning mantra. I am fortunate to have trained under her,” says the Lady Shri Ram College alumna.
A Punjabi girl in love with Odissi
When she first began dancing, Vrinda had minimal knowledge about the artform or the different dance forms in existence. It was as if she was destined for Odissi to take over her entire being. “I did not even realise how it got interspersed with my personality,” quips the nimble footed dancer who is also trained in Hindustani classical music and yoga.
“I was on a dance tour organised by Sangeet Natak Academy, representing Odissi in a multi-style troupe at Seychelles. There, we had a performance in which AR Rahman was the chief guest. It was an absolute joy to dance before him on stage as the show was in his honour. It was lovely to be so close in-person with such a music composer and artiste,” says the dancer who feels that Odissi is very intense and divine. “it gave me a special feeling that drew me towards it. Now, it is very difficult to differentiate me and my dance,” she admits. Over the years, Vrinda has built a special rapport with her guru Ranjana Gauhar, also a Punjabi woman who dedicated her life to Odissi.
“Performing artistes and people watching them are privileged to have access to art forms. But art seldom reaches the people who need it. With this in mind, I took up the Teach for India fellowship to introduce dance and music to the underprivileged. The idea is not to make them experts, rather to enhance their ways of self-expression and emotional literacy through these media,” adds Vrinda, who has been teaching dance across Delhi’s government schools.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cjjA5XHPuI
A life aligned to dance
Her father, Bhavnesh, a businessman, and mother, Poonam, a homemaker egged the young girl’s aspirations along, all for her career in dance. “They aligned my education to dance so that I could be happy with my choice. I took up philosophy as my major as it is parallel to dance,” says Vrinda, who has an elder brother.
“The life of an artiste may look very rosy, but it can also be full of challenges in the initial phases when establishing oneself is a slow process. Recognition takes time. During this phase, family support goes a long way. To be able to do what you love is a huge blessing,” Vrinda effuses. Even today, there is more to explore, and to stretch her artistic brilliance every time she takes to the stage.
[caption id="attachment_13360" align="aligncenter" width="689"] Vrinda with her family[/caption]
An avid traveller, not just when dancing in different countries – she loves travelling solo. India’s heartland endear itself to her, be it Himachal Pradesh for hiking and trekking or just the hills.
“When one looks at dance, people think it's only about performance but there are other aspects to it too,” says Vrinda, who keeps her love for the artform alive by researching and studying about Odissi. Practice is an everyday ritual for her. As she chalks out her future plans, she intends to take forward her guru Ranjana Gauhar’s legacy and work towards furthering the cause of Odissi dance.
(August 17, 2022) In the last 50 years, Maharashtra has witnessed a seven-fold increase in drought events, according to a study by the policy research institute, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). While some people in drought-prone areas have learned to live with it, others have fought ferociously to combat nature’s fury. One such young environmental leader is Sanskruti Dalavi, the teen from Diskal village of Satara district, Maharashtra. “People in my village had to travel 14 kilometers to fetch water, six months a year. If water came to us in tanks delivered by the government, people often got into ugly fights amongst themselves to get their share,” says the 19-year-old in a conversation with Global Indian. By coming up with water management solutions and bringing together warring villagers, the teenager has displayed leadership skills. She got successful in talking villagers to working together to dig Continuous Contour Trenches (CCT) leading to higher groundwater levels, water conservation and reduction in soil erosion. “Now people in my village have to walk just one month instead of six months in a year to fetch water from far away,” she informs chirpily. [caption id="attachment_20921" align="aligncenter" width="792"] Sanskruti Dalavi, environmental leader[/caption] From less
With Sanskruti and her friends’ initiatives, the villagers of Diskal dug a 3,000-meter CCT by themselves and a 6,000-meter CCT with help of equipment in 2019 to bring up the groundwater levels. In no time, the results were clearly visible.
In 2020, the requirement of fetching water 14 kilometers away from the village fell down from six months in a year to just a month. Borewells which were not effective even when drilled 600 feet deep started extracting water from 5 feet depth itself and that too in months of summer. As a result, agriculture was boosted, and crop produce improved both in quality and quantity.
It all started when…
“I had to travel three kilometers from my village to attend school, where children of 12 other nearby villages studied,” informs the 19-year-old. But it was at the age of 16 when she was a student of class 10 that things started to shift after she attended a one-day workshop by Paani Foundation. While most students went their usual way after attending the workshop, it left a deep impact on Sanskruti who gathered her like-minded friends and was ready to make a difference.
[caption id="attachment_20924" align="aligncenter" width="933"] Sanskruti in one of meetings with the villagers of Diskal[/caption]
“In our village, women and children were hardly made aware or made part of any yojana (programme).” Attending a workshop for the first time in life was so empowering for the young girl that she decided to bring women and children to the forefront. “If we involve a woman in any initiative, we do not get just two hands to help but many helping hands in the form of her husband and children,” she adds.
Addressing challenges with smart strategies
Despite previous efforts and initiatives to improve ground water level, not much had changed. However, Sanskruti was keen to put to good use the know-how of villagers who had worked on past initiatives. However, she had one more battle to win - the lack of unity amongst the villagers, due to political and religious differences. “If one group wanted to do some good, others did not cooperate thinking there might be some vested interest and vice versa,” says the changemaker.
“I thought that if we children get involved in doing something for our drought-prone village, people will come forward to lend a helping hand as they will not find any hidden agenda in it.” This strategy worked.
[caption id="attachment_20922" align="aligncenter" width="934"] Continuous Contour Trenches (CCT) being created by villagers of Diskal[/caption]
Sanskruti and her team of 25 school girls organised door-to-door campaigns in Diskal, making them come together for a common cause. It was the first time that the villagers attended the gram sabhas (meetings) in thousands and that too in quick succession.
The young brigade also conducted special meetings for women making them aware of their significance in this whole initiative. Moreover, they celebrated community events, clubbing it with a CCT digging drive – thus bringing people together to celebrate and in turn, asking them to lend a helping hand.
The making of the young leader
Neither did Sanskruti possess any technical know-how, nor age or experience, all that she had was the burning desire to change the plight of her village which is 55 kms away from Satara, the nearest city. “Someone will have to come forward,” she says modestly about the mammoth task she accomplished that also included solutions like rain water harvesting system and drip irrigation. All the water management resources that the villagers created worked to their satisfaction following a rainfall. There is hardly anyone in the village now who does not know the youngster.
Sanskruti got selected as Ashoka Young Changemaker 2021 along with 18 others from different parts of the country, andwasinvited to Bengaluru for a two-day workshop. It was her first trip outside Maharashtra and the very first flight journey.
[caption id="attachment_20925" align="aligncenter" width="1017"] Sanskruti with Ashoka Young Changemakers of 2021[/caption]
“I was deeply impressed by other changemakers’ achievements in the workshop and developed great connections for doing more for my village,” says the teen who has also received the Diana Award 2022.
Working with a life-long mission
The Yashwantrao Chavan Institute of Science student is currently pursuing her bachelors at College of Social Work Nirmala Niketan in Mumbai. Shifting to Mumbai made her start a new initiative Pehchaan Vahi Soch Nayi (PVSN) in her native village to help instil leadership qualities among the kids.
“Kids staying in cities have various opportunities of growth but the same is not available to village children so
I have been encouraging the kids of my village to work for a good cause and grow in the process.” A total of 15 schools from various districts of Maharashtra are a part of PVSN. Her 40-member girls’ team, who coordinate all the programmes, are called PVSN Thinkers.
Though her village is a seven-hour journey from Mumbai, Sanskruti is at the thick of all initiatives being taken by her Thinkers team. The daughter of a farmer father plans to return to her village and work for its greater good after completing her studies. “For now, my aim is to create more and more ‘thinkers’ so that they not only help in village development but also develop their own leadership skills in the process as girls have rare opportunities of growth,” says the changemaker whose mother is an Anganwadi worker.
(May 5, 2024) Ludhiana boy Anuv Jain recently shared one of his latest pictures from New York, standing proudly in front of a billboard showcasing him. “NATURE (music album) is out now on all streaming platforms. I'm thrilled to contribute to the global campaign, ‘Sounds Right’, by United Nations Live! Thank you for inviting me to be a part of this movement. A significant portion of the royalties from this track will support environmental conservation charities,” shared the singer, songwriter and composer. His track Baarishein, featuring the sounds of Indian rains is part of the UN Live album. [caption id="attachment_37591" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Anuv Jain[/caption] The Museum for the United Nations — UN Live, based in Copenhagen, launched its global music initiative, ‘Sounds Right,’ on April 18 this year, just ahead of Earth Day (April 22). The initiative aims to highlight the importance of nature, raise funds for conservation efforts, and inspire millions of music lovers to take action. The ‘Sound Right’ album Nature features a diverse cast of global artists including Anuv Jain, David Bowie x Brian Eno, Ellie Goulding, AURORA, UMI with V of BTS, MØ, London Grammar, Bomba Estéreo, Cosmo Sheldrake, Louis VI, Tom Walker, Aterciopelados, Blinky Bill,
ril 22). The initiative aims to highlight the importance of nature, raise funds for conservation efforts, and inspire millions of music lovers to take action. The ‘Sound Right’ album Nature features a diverse cast of global artists including Anuv Jain, David Bowie x Brian Eno, Ellie Goulding, AURORA, UMI with V of BTS, MØ, London Grammar, Bomba Estéreo, Cosmo Sheldrake, Louis VI, Tom Walker, Aterciopelados, Blinky Bill, Navicula x Endah N Rhesa, and Los Amigos Invisibles.
Available on major streaming platforms, the album has timeless compositions with ocean waves, wind, rainstorms, and birdsongs as prominent features of the background music.
Sounds Right
The website of the Museum for the United Nations-UN Live describes itself as an organization without borders that ignites global empathy, action, and transformation through the influence of popular culture and dialogue.
“By simply listening to music that features sounds of the natural world, fans will help to fund nature conservation and restoration projects in our most precious and precarious ecosystems,” stated a UN press release about the museum’s initiative.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXW_Wa-aAAs
The United Nations further highlighted that the ‘Sounds Right’ initiative “comes at a critical time when wildlife populations have declined by an average 69% in the past 50 years and at least 1.2 million plant and animal species are estimated to be at threat of extinction.” The initiative “looks to flip our extractive relationship with the natural world on its head while recognizing nature’s contribution to the creative industries.”
For the nature-loving musician Anuv, being selected for such a prestigious project was one of the most exciting opportunities of his career. All the artists chosen for the album were selected on the basis of how they have intertwined nature with their music throughout their musical journeys.
Inspired by nature
“A lot of my music is inspired by what’s around me; the sky, the rain, the trees,” Anuv remarked in an interview. Some of his “best work highlights nature as a metaphor to describe beauty.” The independent artist is popular for his acoustic melodies and compositions like Baarishein, Gul, and Alag Aasmaan among others. He expressed excitement about being part of an initiative that would help him to contribute to something that has given him so much – not just music but life itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLKwRW2y-sg
Life around music
Anuv's earliest memories of making music dates back to his 10th-grade year when he began playing the guitar and also started songwriting.
“I used to write these really emotional English songs. Eventually, my guitar teacher suggested that I should try writing in Hindi and that’s when I made that switch. I’m so glad I got that suggestion because I realized I was pretty good at it,” he shared adding “The lyrics come from all my personal experiences and the stories that I’ve seen unfold in front of me. I take inspiration from my experiences and turn them into a song.”
[caption id="attachment_37594" align="aligncenter" width="1440"] Anuv Jain in one of his packed live performances[/caption]
With time the artist polished his skills and ‘started becoming a better songwriter taking up more complicated themes and stories’. “I’ve been able to fit it into this economy of words, which is a song. I also feel like I’ve become better as a performing artist — I used to get really nervous initially, but now I am much more confident whenever I’m on stage and I enjoy it a lot more than I ever have before,” shared the singer-songwriter who has several single albums to his credit. He loves to perform at live shows to connect with people and has a large fan following on social media.
Swimming across the Palk Strait[/caption]
Aravind with daughter Tharaagai[/caption]
Vrinda with her family[/caption]
Sanskruti Dalavi, environmental leader[/caption]
Sanskruti in one of meetings with the villagers of Diskal[/caption]
Continuous Contour Trenches (CCT) being created by villagers of Diskal[/caption]
Sanskruti with Ashoka Young Changemakers of 2021[/caption]
Anuv Jain in one of his packed live performances[/caption]