Sritej Padmanabhan’s algorithm can help diagnose Parkinson’s Disease
Compiled by: Team GI Youth
(January 25, 2023) When Sritej Padmanabhan’s grandfather visited the family in the US, the teenager encountered, for the first time, the devastation caused by Parkinson’s disease. A year later, at the age of 13, the North Allegheny student created an algorithm that can analyse videos of hand tremors and provide an accurate measure of tremor frequency to help diagnose Parkinson’s disease, according to 3M. The teen innovator’s algorithm landed him a spot in the top 10 finalists of the 3M Young Scientist Challenge in 2022.
Lack of access to quality healthcare
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder, which affects the nervous system and parts of the body controlled by nerves, causing uncontrollable movements and other symptoms that worsen with time. “Last year (2021) my grandpa was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and I saw first how severe hand tremors can affect a person’s ability to carry out daily tasks,” the young Global Indian explained. “After research, I’ve learned that even in the United States, access to a qualified neurologist is a challenge for the rural population.”
Sritej Padmanabhan
Although Sritej’s grandfather was not lacking medical care back home in India, where he made frequent trips to his neurologist, his symptoms went unmonitored during his two-month stay in the US. Eventually, he had to return to pay his doctor a visit. Sritej, who had known even as a child that he wanted to be in the medical field, either as a neurologist or neurosurgeon, decided to create a solution. He began his research, convinced that being able to measure and monitor hand tremors could play a pivotal role in enabling greater access to quality medical care, especially among rural and underserved populations.
The telehealth solution
“I had always wondered if there is a telehealth solution,” he said, in an interview, adding that misdiagnosis is common and that rural folk can’t always make the trip to see a doctor as often as is required.
Sritej started out by analysing hand tremors using smartphones, videos and his computer. “I recorded 225 videos of simulated hand tremors from four family members,” he says. He used Python and open-source software libraries, analysed and stored the videos and framed hand models. One platform, he found, could use machine learning to track finger movements. Sritej’s algorithm uses the data from various platforms to calculate the frequency of the tremors. Users currently strap smartphones with devices called accelerometers to their wrists, which can measure vibration and movement.
Sritej with other students from North Allegheny school who participated in the Broadcom Masters
The 3M experience
In 2022, he decided to make an entry into the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, also motivated by the idea of being able to work with his mentor, a 3M scientist, over the summer.
The 3M Young Scientist Challenge is one of the most rigorous of its kind, with the top young talent competing for the $25,000 grand prize. “This year’s finalists and honourable mention recipients feature outstanding innovations from young scientists, who submitted a one-to-two-minute video communicating a solution to an everyday problem in their community and the science behind their solution,” according to 3M.
A Franklin Park resident, Sritej is an avid participant in competitive robotics tournaments. He also enjoys chess and golf, saying, “Golfing involves an immense amount of focus and perseverance.” Taking time out of his busy schedule, he makes the time to do community service, volunteering at local soup kitchens and visiting senior centers.
(April 30, 2024) Following in the footsteps of her father, Manoj Nelliyattu ‘M. Night’ Shyamalan, Ishana Night Shyamalan also graduated from his alma mater, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Similar to her father's journey, the Indian American youngster has turned into a filmmaker. She started her career by working on music videos and short films before stepping into the world of filmmaking. The 22-year-old, recently released the trailer of her debut feature film, ‘The Watchers,’ which boasts of an impressive star ensemble including Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Oliver Finnegan, and Olwen Fouere. Scheduled to hit theatres in June 2024, ‘The Watchers’ trailer went viral soon after its release. In her debut feature film Ishana has worked on a horror-themed narrative, a genre that her father is renowned for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrhrNS0JFyg Influences in approach to cinema Although Ishana is deeply inspired by her father, she shared in an interview that a significant influence on her craft also comes from the works of Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. “I think like in my bones, I'm most inspired by Miyazaki,” she remarked adding, “Like I just think those have been the movies that throughout my life have moved me the most and
o comes from the works of Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. “I think like in my bones, I'm most inspired by Miyazaki,” she remarked adding, “Like I just think those have been the movies that throughout my life have moved me the most and they're very sacred things to me. So, in many ways, this was just like chasing the experience that I feel when I watch those movies, which is one of wonder and adventure and innocence in many ways.”
Wong Kar-wai, Hong Kong’s director, screenwriter and producer and Polish film director Krzysztof Kieślowski are some of the other filmmakers who have had an influence on Ishana’s approach to cinema.
Carrying forward the legacy
“From making shorts, to going to Tisch, to becoming one of our top writer/directors on ‘Servant’ (TV series) to this incredible moment of #TheWatchers in theatres this summer… Ishana has always made me very proud. And even better than making a dazzling film, she is a wonderful person,” tweeted her proud father. He had immigrated with his doctor parents from Pondicherry to the USA when he was six weeks old.
The New York University Tisch School of the Arts alumni graduated in 1992, adopting 'Night' as his second name during his time there. A blend of Eastern and Western influences in name extended to his three children, including Ishana.
Not the first father-daughter collaboration
It’s not the first time that the father-daughter duo has collaborated for a project. Ishana contributed to M. Night Shyamalan’s eerie Apple TV+ series ‘The Servant,’ as a writer and co-writer for 10 episodes and as director for six episodes. She also served as the second unit director for her father's box office hits, ‘Old’ (2021) and the recent ‘Knock at the Cabin’ (2023). Both the productions had topped the charts during their opening weekends.
While working with him, M. Night Shyamalan, Ishana, his middle daughter, inherited his knack and expertise for crafting suspense, thrills, and compelling drama. “The training from him has existed my whole life,” she remarked.
[caption id="attachment_37460" align="aligncenter" width="570"] Ishana Night Shyamalan at the sets of M Night Shyamalan's movie 'Old' (2021)[/caption]
For her directorial debut, Ishana adapted the screenplay from a novel by the Irish author A.M Shine who has written several literary horror masterpieces.
Talking about her adaptation Ishana remarked, “It’s a journey of suspense that hopefully leads into a feeling of wonder at the end. My hope is it’s an experience that plays on that sense of unease – then takes you to a bigger, wonderful place.”
Pursuing art to survive
Since she was a child Ishana was creatively inclined whether it was painting, ballet, poetry and even designing clothes.
“I’ve moved through different forms of art throughout my whole life and kind of later in life came to filmmaking. But there’s really been no other option in terms of my psyche – I’ve only felt that I need to be doing art to survive,” she remarked.
For nearly twenty years, Ishana and her family, including her siblings Saluki and Shivani, along with their parents Bhavna and their father, have lived in Ravenwood, a 1937 Georgian revival house nestled on a 125-acre estate in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Proudly, the father has also backed Ishana’s directorial debut through his production company, Blinding Edge Pictures.
(March 1, 2023) "Picture this - climbing a flight of stairs without the gift of sight. Can you imagine it? It seems impossible, right? But what if I told you that today, my 13 incredible kids from the Government School for the Visually Impaired in Trivandrum, India, accomplished something even more remarkable - they built, assembled, and launched FIVE model rockets," wrote an ecstatic Aathira Preetharani on her LinkedIn. The Canada-based citizen astronaut, who was selected by International Institute for Astronautical Sciences for astronaut training last year, made the "impossible" possible when she mentored visually-impaired kids to build and launch model rockets. It was at the end of November 2022 that Aathira found herself in the company of some immensely talented kids when she was invited as a chief guest for an UN-affiliated program at the Government School for Visually Impaired in Trivandrum. Some questions hurled at her in that first meeting were, "How does a rocket look?", "Have you been on a rocket?" Seeing their curiosity, Aathira promised to teach them how to build and launch their own rockets. [caption id="attachment_27957" align="aligncenter" width="579"] Aathira Preethranai is a space entrepreneur.[/caption] "I began reaching out to my contacts in space agencies,
23/02/aathira2.jpg" alt="Aathira Preetharani | Global Indian | Space Entrepreneur" width="579" height="870" /> Aathira Preethranai is a space entrepreneur.[/caption]
"I began reaching out to my contacts in space agencies, however, everyone told me that there is no technology to make rocketry available to these kids. That pushed me to stay back, and work on delivering what I had promised," she tells Global Indian, adding that she started researching accessible ways to make rocket science and STEM education available to the visually-impaired kids. "It took a lot of redesigning but a month and a half later, I was ready with the concept and design, after help from the Rocketeers Research Institute, who provided adaptable materials that could fly while keeping safety as the priority," she adds.
The students picked up fast. In two months, they were ready to launch their model rockets, creating a history of sorts in India - giving hope to 9.3 million visually impaired individuals in the country. "Until a couple of years ago, visually-impaired kids had no access to science beyond 10th grade in India as the notion was that such kids won't find jobs. That's what I want to change by making free space education accessible to everybody in India," reveals Aathira, adding that people don't understand the importance of space. "We use space for weather, GPS, agriculture et al. In fact, by 2040, the global space industry's annual revenue could cross $1 trillion, thus helping create more jobs and a better economy. If India has to establish itself as a global power, the government will have to provide free and quality job-related space education."
[caption id="attachment_27958" align="aligncenter" width="744"] Aathira Preetharani with the students of Government School for Visually Impaired.[/caption]
A slum dweller aiming for the stars
For someone who was born in a slum, Aathira had to face immense struggles, and now, as a woman undergoing astronaut training at the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences, she understands the importance of the right education. "Despite the abject poverty, my parents were adamant that we slept on a full stomach and had a quality education. My father would often burn the copper wire and trade the copper for food. My mother even sold off her tali (necklace) to get me admission to a private school," Aathira recalls. However, things started to look up when her father moved abroad to find a job at an airport. Being a studious child, she would spend most of her time in her school's library, getting her hands on any piece of education. "Due to limited resources, the library became my place of knowledge."
By the time she turned 18, she knew she wanted to be a fighter pilot and an astronaut. But till 2016, women were not inducted into the Indian Air Force, and upon research, she found that she could make her dream come true in Canada. She enrolled in Algonquin College in Ottawa following two scholarships and started learning robotics. However, she soon switched to studying business as she was keen to start her space company. Amid this, her real reason for moving to Canada - to become a fighter pilot - was put on the back burner. But a Malayalam film Uyare turned out to be that nudge. "I remember travelling from Ottawa to Montreal to watch the film which is about a woman who wants to be a pilot. That one film made me resolve to work harder and realise my dream. I worked three jobs and saved enough money to pay for my flying introductory class at the end of 2019."
A space entrepreneur on a mission
The flying sessions were accompanied by baby steps into the world of entrepreneurship with her space company ExoGeo Aerospace, which she formally launched in 2021 along with her husband Gokul Das Balachandran, whom she met in Aastro - an astronomical group in Trivandrum. "I was 12 when I first learnt about the group, and it played a pivotal role in aspiring me to become an astronaut. At 18, I met Gokul at Aastro, who was then a rocket scientist with ISRO, and within a year we got married."
Always interested in space debris, she started working on building her company which specialises in building space tugs to help service satellites and resolve the problem of space debris in earth's orbit. Explaining further, she adds, "Rockets are made to send satellites to orbit. Once the satellites run out of fuel, they aimlessly stay in the orbit forever. And we make another satellite and send it. This has been happening ever since rockets started launching. This is what we call space debris (space junk) that's rotating in the orbit at a very high speed, thus having a high chance of collision with other satellites, which could eventually lead to million pieces."
At ExoGeo, she is working on sending satellites that could refuel the satellites, so that they don't become redundant, and don't add to space junk. "Also, we are working on moving the redundant satellites to graveyard orbit by building space tugs." ExoGeo has already finished working on the preliminary design of space tugs and the demonstration is expected to happen by the end of 2023 or early 2024.
An astronaut in the making
While her entrepreneurial goals metamorphosed into reality, she also gave wings to her childhood dream of becoming an astronaut when she was selected under Project PoSSUM by the International Institute of Astronautical Science in 2022. "It trains people to become citizen astronauts so that one doesn't remain a mere passenger when they go to space, instead they carry valuable research activities," says Aathira. Training that's jointly supervised by NASA, the National Research Council of Canada, and the Canadian Space Agency can take up to five years to complete. This April, Aathira will be flying to Poland for the next part of her training. "I'd be permitted to access the Polish army airbase which is known for state-of-the art training," reveals the Kerala native.
The last year was a roller coaster for Aathira. If she has inched closer to becoming an astronaut, she has also received threats from people for being bisexual. It was last year that she came out, and it has been an uphill task for her ever since. "One country denied me training because of my sexuality. I was very excited to train there because of their state-of-the-art facility but they wrote to my trainer stating that their country's laws are against homosexuality." The 24-year-old says that being openly bisexual has had an impact on her career as "the discrimination is subtle." She adds, "When people say things behind your back, you don't even know how to deal with it. Every time they make it hard for me to go to space, but that's not my end goal. I truly want to make space education more accessible to people."
Aathira, who loves reading, painting, and writing poetry, is on a mission to improve people's standard of living through space technology. "I want the benefits of technology to reach the common man. Though I am working on a small scale, I want to make a difference with my work," she signs off.
(July 12, 2024) "Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you, and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use." This quote by Steve Jobs resonates the most with Indian-American teen Naren Manikandan who at the age of 16 took it upon himself to find a solution for the growing issue of a lack of parking due to smaller driveways, narrow roads, and insufficient supply to maintain the demand in his neighbourhood. "Parking is a huge problem in Birkshires in Morrisville, North Carolina and I often heard my parents discuss it at home. That's when I realised that there are so many unused parking spaces that can be used efficiently to overcome the problem," Naren tells Global Indian. This led him to build Parkware, a parking solution for neighbourhoods nationwide that don't have access to extra parking lots and face severe restrictions based on city/town regulations and home construction. "The app connects homeowners with unused parking spaces with residents needing parking spaces for local events like parties, and birthdays," the 17-year-old reveals. [caption id="attachment_38601" align="aligncenter" width="457"] Naren Manikandan[/caption] Love
Hailing from Tamil Nadu in India, his parents, who are nurse practitioners, moved to the UK where Naren Manikandan was born. At the age of six, he and his family relocated to Tennessee in the US which he called home for several years before moving to North Carolina. "Obsessed with Lego while growing up, I always found myself building things. But once an uncle of mine introduced me to Quantum Mechanics which sparked my interest in astrophysics initially and eventually transformed into a love for computer science. I was intrigued that I could do so much with a computer," he says, adding, "I once tried to automate my blinds through my Arduino set. It was a fun project."
Growing up, he loved creating ideas, refining them, and eventually building them. It was online resources that came to his rescue and he learnt a great deal from them. "I also joined a Robotics team in school that helped me pitch ideas to businesses and developed speaking skills as well as creative thinking. Eventually, everything led up to Parkware - an idea I was holding onto for a long time," adds the rising 12th grader at Research Triangle High.
The journey of Parkware
He explains that in Morrisville the land is expensive, thus leading to smaller size homes with a limited parking space. "At times, we borrow parking spaces from friends but I wondered why we should restrict it to just friends. Before Covid, our community and neighbourhood hosted many events, and people would easily give their unused parking spaces to others. But Covid changed it all. We saw less sharing and fewer community events," says Naren, who values a strong sense of community. "It greatly helps the person organising an event. For me, it's a sort of public duty. It's not just about providing a solution but also helping neighbourhoods support each other."
[caption id="attachment_38602" align="aligncenter" width="698"] Multiple cars parked on the sidewalk in his neighbourhood[/caption]
Having seen the problem from close quarters, he knew that the neighbourhood was in dire need of a solution. It was in the summer of 2023 that Naren started working on Parkware, leveraging his programming knowledge to build the application. He began by asking neighbours on WhatsApp group chats about their parking woes and conducting surveys on parking needs. "This helped me understand the issue better and identify potential solutions. It was Airbnb's model that rang in my head while looking at this problem - this could be an Airbnb for parking. During vacations or office hours, many parking spaces are unused, so why not divert them to people who need them during those times?" he explains. By August 2023, he had the app ready to be tested in his neighbourhood and gather some feedback. "This year we got the opportunity to present it to the local government," shares the proud teenager.
Currently operational in his neighbourhood in Birkshires, the app is available on Android and iOS. "If you have an event coming up, you can raise a parking space request by providing details about the date, time, and number of spots required. People near the location will get a notification about the request, an can offer their free parking spaces," explains Naren, emphasising that it's an on-demand service. People don't need to list their parking spaces on the app; instead, they receive notifications through an event link shared by the event organiser. "You don't necessarily need to install the app. You can visit our website to create a link, and share it with your neighbourhood through WhatsApp or Facebook, which is later updated on the provider's end."
During this over-a-year-long journey, Naren had his moments of self-doubt and was constantly distracted by new ideas. "Being persistent was one of the biggest challenges. You can explore new things but it's equally important to stay focussed on something you are truly passionate about until you see some results." It was a sense of duty that kept Naren pushing forward because he knew the problem still existed. "There was a purpose driving me. I knew I could make an impact since it's an issue in my neighbourhood."
[caption id="attachment_38603" align="aligncenter" width="789"] Naren Manikandan pitching Parkware to the Morrisville Smart City committee[/caption]
Future plans
Ask him about the revenue model, and the teen is in two minds. "We could either adopt a commission-based business model where the organiser pays the provide for the parking spot, and we take a commission. Or we could position this as a community service project to help neighbourhoods, with the potential of local government involvement later on."
Naren plans to expand Parkware to cities and towns across the US facing parking problems. "As a community-based project, we can propose Parkware as a solution to local governments in cities with parking issues and potentially integrate it with any existing apps. Moreover, we can target committees and city planners looking for solutions," says Naren, who envisions the app being used beyond neighbourhood parking for events like sports games. "Often sports stadiums have expensive parking fees but nearby neighbourhoods have open spaces that could be used for overflow parking." Expanding to India is on his agenda, with modifications tailored to local needs. "I have a lot of connections in India, plus I visit it a lot."
[caption id="attachment_38604" align="aligncenter" width="605"] Naren presenting at the Emerge Conference after receiving 1st place in the Thinkubators competition[/caption]
With his eyes set on a major in computer science, Naren wants to continue building projects. Taking inspiration from the biographies he reads, he has realised "whether its apps or inventions or innovations, they are done by people who are exactly like you. Everyone starts from basics and nothing is unreachable. You can make a difference."
The teen, who practices Kalaripayattu, an Indian martial art, and also plays basketball, advices youngsters to stay focussed. "It's not a straight path, and don't expect it to be. But if you stay consistent you will get somewhere. Don't just keep looking at the results but also look at your progress. If you have a good purpose, keep going," he signs off.
(May 10, 2023) One balmy afternoon in 2019, when Charlotte-based Navami Jain was desperately searching for the venue for a college admissions interview scheduled to start in the next ten minutes, her phone kept ringing incessantly. In a panicked state, she picked up the call only to find that she was one of the 40 finalists selected for the Regeneron Science Talent Search that year. "I was so shocked that I stopped walking," she said. Then a 17-year-old senior at North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Navami was recognised for her relentless effort to produce bioethanol from agricultural waste products. "The major controversy around ethanol production is that it is being produced from food-based crops like corn. I’m looking at ways to produce it from agricultural-based matter and different waste products such as wheat straw," Navami said in an interview. [caption id="attachment_29908" align="aligncenter" width="754"] Navami Jain[/caption] The Stanford University School of Medicine student was always passionate about science. But it was during middle school that she began her research while her trip to India during her summer break to meet her grandparents. With a little help from her grandfather, who is a retired biochemist, she began dipping her toes
she began her research while her trip to India during her summer break to meet her grandparents. With a little help from her grandfather, who is a retired biochemist, she began dipping her toes into converting agricultural waste products into fuel-grade ethanol. The idea came to her during her freshman year at Myers Park High School when she was interning in a biochemistry lab. Here she saw researchers trying to repurpose India's plentiful sugarcane waste into biofuel. This hooked her on the process of scientific discovery.
Two years later, this passion led her to the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. "One of the major factors that drew me to NCSSM was the different research opportunities and the prospect of continuing what I had started that summer in India. You’re given the funding and the space to pursue any research project you’re interested in," she said in an interview.
During the next few years, she performed a series of assays looking at different ways to produce bioethanol, a type of biofuel that is considered greener than conventional fossil energy sources as it is biodegradable and non-toxic. In the last few years, bioethanol has gained considerable attention due to its potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependency on fossil fuels. Agricultural waste products, such as crop residues and lignocellulosic biomass, are abundant in India, and their conversion into bioethanol could provide an eco-friendly, cost-effective solution to the country's growing energy demands.
Her research focused on developing a novel method for converting agricultural waste products into bioethanol using a combination of enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation processes. This innovative approach not only optimized bioethanol production but also addressed the issue of waste management in India's agricultural sector. By converting waste products into valuable resources, Jain's work demonstrated the potential of a circular economy that benefits both the environment and the country's energy infrastructure.
Navami's award-winning research has significantly contributed to the bioethanol movement in India. Her innovative approach to producing bioethanol from agricultural waste products has opened up new possibilities for utilizing India's vast biomass resources sustainably. Moreover, her work has generated interest and investment in the field, thereby promoting the development of a bio-based economy in the country.
Navami's groundbreaking research on bioethanol production from agricultural waste products has had a far-reaching impact on India's energy landscape. Her work has not only showcased the potential of bioethanol as a sustainable energy source but has also paved the way for the development of a circular economy in the country. As India strives to achieve its renewable energy targets and reduce its carbon footprint, bioethanol – fueled by the innovative efforts of pioneers like Jain – is set to play a significant role in the country's transition to a greener, more sustainable future.
(Aug 26, 2023) Sagar and Suraj Nagaraj, second-generation Australian immigrants, are the founders of the Australian Indian Orchestra (AIO), a pioneering initiative that marked its debut with the concert ‘Sydney to Mumbai: A Symphonic Journey to Incredible India’ - featuring a splendid 60-member symphony orchestra in Australia. Their endeavour is rooted in their vision to cultivate a musical connection between the people of Australia and India and to present Indian music in western format. AIO harmoniously amalgamates Indian melodies with Australian orchestral arrangements, forging a unifying platform that brings together artists and audiences from both nations. [caption id="attachment_32738" align="aligncenter" width="921"] Concert of Australian Indian Orchestra at Sydney Conservatorium of Music[/caption] 26-year-old Sagar and 20-year-old Suraj are musically inclined since their childhood. They have been giving performances at different platforms while growing up and enjoy a good fan following for their musical skills. Fuelled by love for Bollywood Despite being born and raised in Australia, Sagar and Suraj Nagaraj simply love Bollywood music, strongly influenced by their music loving parents. Sagar, shared, "Our childhood is filled with memories of returning home from school to the whistles of our father's favourite Hindi songs." He added, "We found Bollywood films constantly being watched
ances at different platforms while growing up and enjoy a good fan following for their musical skills.
Fuelled by love for Bollywood
Despite being born and raised in Australia, Sagar and Suraj Nagaraj simply love Bollywood music, strongly influenced by their music loving parents. Sagar, shared, "Our childhood is filled with memories of returning home from school to the whistles of our father's favourite Hindi songs." He added, "We found Bollywood films constantly being watched on TV at our home." The environment at home, ignited their passion for music since as far as they can recall.
As they grew up, they realised that Bollywood music wasn't too popular beyond their home. The brothers, whose parents immigrated to Australia in 1993, started nurturing a shared dream - to introduce Bollywood music to Australia. With the launch of the Australian Indian Orchestra, they are now coming closer to make that dream come true.
Starting young
Sagar discovered his affinity for strings in school and subsequently took up the violin. Regularly participating in his school's musical programmes, he captivated his music-loving parents by playing ‘O Saathi Re,’ a Bollywood tune he had heard his father whistle countless times. His father was pleasantly surprised by how beautifully Sagar played the melody.
Since then, listening to Indian melodies on Sagar’s violin became a regular pastime in the Nagaraj household. The younger brother Suraj, recalled, "I fell in love with the violin at the age of four when I heard Sagar play and begged my parents to get me one as well."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYyA9wNqkI0&t=9s
Idea of orchestra
The idea of Australian Indian Orchestra’s formation germinated in their mind during a performance when the Nagaraj brothers intertwined select Hindi melodies with customary string orchestra classics to bring some variety. All the songs that they played received lots of appreciation from the audience that comprised of both Indian and Australian attendees.
Their enthusiastic response propelled the brothers to establish a new musical endeavour - the Australian Indian Orchestra, to showcase the fusion of musical styles.
Forging ahead with vision
Guiding the ensemble, Sagar assumes the role of concertmaster, meticulously crafting the concert's line up by infusing his deep understanding of Indian music into every element. He describes the process as a combination of attentive listening, profound reading, meticulous note transcription, and dedicated practice. His visits to India and exposure to Carnatic music during trips to his native place Mysore has greatly impacted his approach. “It helped me a lot while writing the musical notes for the songs of AIO,” he shared. The youngster has also performed in Kochi as part of the Sydney Youth Orchestra in 2017.
While Suraj who has experience performing with the Australian World Orchestra holds the role of conductor. “String music has always featured in a big way in Bollywood music,” he said. “In most Hindi songs, you can hear a violin or a cello,” he added.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K-XS-3lyKU
Diversity and magnificence
Their inaugural concert's repertoire spanned a diverse range of songs by vocalists such as Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Hariharan, Shankar Mahadevan, Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal, and Arijit Singh. In addition to this vocal diversity, the performance showcased a varied instrumental ensemble, including tabla, sitar, santoor, guitar, piano, and keyboard, all contributing to the tapestry of orchestral magnificence.
For the Nagaraj brothers, Bollywood music resonates as their ‘home away from home.’ After their debut concert at Sydney Conservatorium of Music, they are busy preparing for their next concert to be held on the occasion of Diwali at Concourse in Chatswood, Sydney. They are aspiring to take their orchestra from Sydney to Mumbai in the coming days.
Ishana Night Shyamalan at the sets of M Night Shyamalan's movie 'Old' (2021)[/caption]
Aathira Preetharani with the students of Government School for Visually Impaired.[/caption]
Naren Manikandan[/caption]
Multiple cars parked on the sidewalk in his neighbourhood[/caption]
Naren Manikandan pitching Parkware to the Morrisville Smart City committee[/caption]
Naren presenting at the Emerge Conference after receiving 1st place in the Thinkubators competition[/caption]
