The songstress speaks to Expresso about her journey in the music world thus far:
Education and Music
I am pursuing MBA in Finance and Control at IMIS, Bhubaneswar.
It is a bit difficult to make a perfect balance between study and music. Hence I do my riyaaz early in the morning from 4 am to 6 am and the rest of the time I devote to studies.
Singing, a passion
I learnt singing in Bolangir from Guru Dr. Raghunath Sahoo.
Initially it was my hobby but soon became my passion.
My father wanted to see me as a classical singer so he inspired me to pursue music as a profession.
Beginning early
I began singing by the age of four. My father Shyamal Krishna Mishra taught me a Ganesh Vandana which was in Raaga Bhairav and from that day I began my journey of singing.
My guru Raghunath Sahoo is the only person responsible behind my classical rendition.
But my Maa Sabitanjali Udgata and sister Swati Mishra mentored me at every stage of my life.
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa experience
SRGMP had always been a dream platform for me. The experience was joyful and unforgettable.
This platform gave me a wonderful opportunity to meet musical maestros like AR Rahman and Vishal Bhardwaj and learn many things from them.
Avid reader & painter
I like to read novels and paint.
I have a great interest in Urdu poems.
Performances
After Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, I am currently focusing on strengthening my classical music skills.
I am not working on any specific projects now but I have been offered live shows to perform.
Future plans
I want to carve a niche for myself in the world of music as a classical singer. I always look up to Begum Parveen Sultana, Sunanda Pattnayak and Kishori Amonkar. As a long term goal, I would love to see myself in similar places like them.
diana@expressbuzz.com