HYDERABAD: In a world where career paths often appear rigid and narrowly defined, there are exceptional individuals who embark on a unique journey, blending their professional expertise with their deepest passions. One such remarkable individual is Veenadhari Bhamidipaty, who seamlessly integrates her profession as an engineer with her unwavering passion for music.
Veenadhari Bhamidipaty, the younger daughter of Dr BK Durga Prasad and Dr G Indira, has a fascinating journey that has taken her from her schooling at Sri Krishna Vidya Mandir to college education at FIITJEE, and she is currently pursuing a B.Tech in Computer Science - Data Science at GITAM (Deemed to be University). Notably, Veenadhari has been chosen by the Mumbai-based Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts & Sangeetha Sabha for the prestigious Bharat Ratna MS Subbulakshmi Fellowship. This fellowship recognises her exceptional talent in the realm of music and entitles her to a substantial annual grant for three years. Veenadhari’s journey with music began at the age of 8 when she started learning the veena from her father.
Reflecting on her achievement, she shares, “To secure this scholarship, three A-grade artists had to recommend the student, or the awardee, through a letter to the organisation. This letter is needed to assert that I am deserving of this award and should be selected. Once the organisation gave their approval, I was selected for this prestigious three-year fellowship. It’s a significant accomplishment because it’s a highly competitive scholarship, with applicants from all over India.
Typically, the selected students are primarily violin or vocal music artists. I am possibly the 10th or 11th awardee, and the first veena artist to be selected from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana since the scholarship’s inception. Balancing my studies and music has been quite challenging, but my university has been incredibly supportive. Whenever I had mid-term exams and a concert scheduled on the same day, they kindly postponed the exam and conducted it individually for me.”
Veenadhari has established a solid foundation in engineering through her education and professional experience. While engineering has provided her with a fulfilling career, her true passion lies in the realm of music. From an early age, she has been learning both vocal and instrumental music, with a particular focus on playing the veena in the Carnatic style. Her father, a renowned veena artist, has been her guru, and she has had the privilege of accompanying him in many concerts and also performing numerous solo concerts. Additionally, she has assisted her father in conducting a unique study that explores the similarities between the veena instrument and the human anatomy using radiological imaging techniques.
Elaborating on this intriguing study, she explains, “Our research is titled ‘Neuroradiology Intertwined with Veena: A Radiologist’s Perspective.’ I had the privilege of assisting my father and guru, Dr BK Durga Prasad (a Radiologist and an A-grade veena artist), in conducting this remarkable research. We conducted a comprehensive study that involved a CT scan of the veena instrument, which we compared with MRI imagery of the human body. Our groundbreaking research was accepted for publication in the prestigious National Medical Journal of India. Astonishingly, our findings revealed a remarkable analogy between the veena and the human anatomy.
The 24 frets on the veena, akin to the 24 vertebrae in the human spine, exhibited a striking parallel in their gradual reduction of inter-fret distances, mirroring the diminishing gaps between intervertebral spaces. Furthermore, the instrument’s seven strings bore a striking resemblance to the human nervous plexuses, adding an intriguing layer of connection to our study. Finally, the resonator box, with its captivating sonorous qualities, drew an evocative comparison to the human head, serving as a captivating bridge between art and medicine.”
Veenadhari has plans to work in a job related to engineering after completing her B.Tech and intends to settle in Chennai for 2-3 years. She also envisions furthering her education. When asked about her musical aspirations, she expresses her admiration for TM Krishna, a renowned vocalist, and her desire to perform alongside him in the future. She considers him an idol she has looked up to throughout her life.