Soaring musical heights

WINNING prizes has become a habit with the young singer, Madhumita, since the age of three. I first heard her singing M. S. Subbulakshmi's "Katrinile Varum Geetham" on Sun TV. Madhumita started learning music from the age of four from her mother Hemalatha Mani, a disciple of vainika Chittibabu. Later she began learning from Gayatri Shankar, a disciple of Lalgudi Jayaraman.

Madhumita was soon awarded the CCRT (Centre for Cultural Research and Training) scholarship for music. In 1999, she won the all- India first prize in the competition for Annamacharya sahityas conducted by the Annamacharya Bhavana Vahini, Hyderabad.

Her repertoire is impressive - from Meera and Tulsidas bhajans, Bharatiyar songs in the light classical mode to elaborate numbers composed by the Trinity and other vaggeyakaras. She is the recipient of many awards in the annual competitions conducted by the Music Academy, Indian Fine Arts Society, Narada Gana Sabha, Thyagabrahma Gana Sabha and Oothukadu Venkatakavi Academy. It was a proud moment for her when she sang before the doyenne, M. S. Subbalakshmi after winning the Triveni Arts Academy's competition of Bharathiar songs.

In the light music front too, Madhumita has won several prizes. She has sung for A. R. Rahman in the film "Sangamam" - the Tiruppavai prelude to the song "Margazhi Thingal Allava" was sung by her. She has also sung playback for the Hindi films, "Dil Se" and "Pukar." For the latter, it was a song with Lata Mangeshkar. She has also lent her voice for the album "Jana Gana Mana" along with Asha Bhonsle.

Asked if the recording sessions clash with her school hours, Madhumita says "No. Rahman uncle schedules recordings only at night". She is one of the child artistes in Abaswaram Ramji's "Isai Mazhalai" programme. How good is she in academics? "I get the first rank in the class", says Madhumita, who is studying in Std. VIII at the Hindu Senior Secondary School, Indira Nagar.

What are her future plans? She wants to study Aeronautics or Aerospace Science at IIT. And, she wants to excel both in classical and light music. Perhaps, by the time she becomes an astronaut, it would be possible to record from outer space.

LAKSHMI VENKATRAMAN

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