As a distinguished soloist and collaborator, I have won several recognitions for my innovative performances, music competitions and cross-genre collaborations.
I have been training Rishi in the art of playing the Mridangam- the south Indian Percussive instrument for many years. I have been teaching many students, all over the world, since the last 35 years. Having a vast experience in this field, I can confidently say that Rishi would be one of my chosen few students whom I can call brilliant. He is very dedicated, hard working and extremely passionate about learning this art. Whenever I present a new idea to him in my lessons, he picks it up instantaneously and plays. This by itself is no ordinary task, as it involves understanding the idea and then immediately translating into the language of the instrument and playing it. Another aspect I really would like to mention emphatically is his creativity. Indian classical music is known for the scope it offers for extemporisation and Rishi takes up what I teach him and applies it creatively. This is an extraordinary ability and I am always amazed at how easily he accomplishes such a challenging task!