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Soulful music a la Sawani
Shende
"We were overjoyed by your performance
at the Rashtrapati Bhavan last evening. Your rendering
of Raga, Tarana and Jhoola were scintillating.
You have a rare gift which I am confident will
bloom into a Sadhana. You have my best wishes
and my blessings." - Words of encouragement
from the then President of India, R. Venkatraman
Over to Sawani.
 Sawani,
tell us how did you get attracted to singing?
Singing and Music has been a family affair.
When I was six years old, my grandmother Kusum
Shende a noted singer and actress of the Kirana
Gahrana initiated me in to classical music. That
is how I got started.
What is your area of specialisation?
Music can be classified into three types
- Classical, Semi Classical and Light. I am a
trained classical singer.
Who have been your teachers?
I received my basic training from my grandmother,
and went on to attain advanced training from Smt.
Veena Sahasrabuddhe, a well known classical
singer of international repute. I have also received
training in Thumri, Dadra and Kajri from my father
Sanjeev Shende which has helped
me highlight the emotive and expressive quality
of Indian Classical Music.
When did you give your first stage performance?
I made my singing debut at the age of
ten when we were celebrating the 61st
birthday of my grandmother and guru.
Where all have you performed and which is
your most memorable performance?
I have performed at almost all the prestigious
music conferences that take place in Maharashtra,
Goa, UP, MP, Karnataka and Rajasthan. I was invited
for a three month long tour of USA and Canada
by the Brihan Maharashtra Mandal in 1998.
One of my most memorable performances was the
one at New Delhi, where I was performing for the
Pandit Vishnu Digambar Jayanti Samaroh at the
Kamani Hall; I was performing the "Miyan
Ki Todi" which was highly appreciated by
the discerning audience which included the press
from across the country.
What are your achievements?
I have been receiving awards since the
age of fifteen. Swaronmesh Puraskar, Pandit Jasraj
Gaurav Puraskar, Rasikgrami Pandit Dattopant Deshpande
Memorial award and the National Cultural Talent
Search Scholarship are some of the awards I have
received over the years.
What is your perception of audiences abroad?
After innumerable performances abroad,
I must conclude that the audiences are extremely
knowledgeable. I remember a performance in the
USA where I sang ' Raag Multani', several members
of the audience came up to me after the show to
ask some very technical questions and clear their
doubts.
Where do you like to hang out when in town?
When I am in town, I like the idea of
being home especially after a longish tour. My
friends and I generally like to hang out at a
small hill near my house called the ARAI hill.
Sawani, you are well known personality,
has your popularity made any difference to the
relationship you share with friends and relatives?
Most of my close friends have known me
since my childhood. There is absolutely no change
in their attitude or behaviour. We still laugh
at the memory of our childhood pranks, joke and
have a lot of fun together.
And we at poonabest had a lot of fun chatting
up Sawani.
Text - Prasad Hiranwar
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