For over three decades, Shankar Mahadevan has been a name synonymous with versatility – transcending borders and generations in the music world. As a celebrated playback singer and music composer, he has left an indelible mark in the industry for years with songs like Maa Tujhe Salaam, Breathless, and Mitwa and grabbing awards like the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Enna Solla Pogirai and Padma Shri. Among the milestones in his journey is the founding of the Shankar Mahadevan Academy 15 years ago which he co-established with Sridhar Ranganathan with the intention to democratise music education. He performed with members of the academy at Sangam and Prayag, a music festival, on Friday.
Recently, the academy unveiled two new courses, aimed to cater to diverse musical interests and ages. “The whole idea of forming this academy was to leave a legacy behind. We wanted to create this, not only for the generations to come, but also for generations before us,” said Mahadevan. For him, music serves a higher purpose. “Music is not just about entertaining, or about teaching and learning. It has a purpose beyond age, country, and religion.”
One of the shifts in music teaching in recent years has been the adoption of the online mode, Mahadevan commented, “People did not have faith in it. Many questioned us asking if it’s possible. Now, there are hundreds of kids who have learnt online from various parts of India, and they are all singing in unison,” adding, “We have teachers who learn Japanese or even Spanish [to teach foreign students]. They might be sitting in Ahmedabad and teaching students in Kumbakonam. The students performed for me and the dedication, the fire, the focus that those kids had – now there is no looking back. We introduced these classes in three villages, now we want to make it 3,000.”
Despite challenges along the way, the journey has shaped him in key ways. “The biggest takeaway is when we get into music, it has a bigger purpose. You can change people’s lives. You can bring a simple thing called joy to anybody.” Mahadevan also got candid about what it takes to achieve long term success in the music industry, saying, “Musicians who have not educated themselves in music will always be, to a certain extent, shooting in the dark. That’s got nothing to do with success. Success is something that you can get irrespective. Good does not mean successful. But, if you are both, you can stay for a long time. Education makes you a solid musician who has got a foundation,” he stressed.
Finally, he leaves with a message to young musicians: stay rooted. “When you are born in a country, you are a part of it. This is your birthplace. So at least know what the music of your country is. Don’t make your own music uncool, respect it.”