At 14; violinist Rishi Shet is a young powerhouse of talent, who believes in making a difference through his soulful renditions. This Bengaluru boy, who is currently based out of the US, will be performing live in the city on June 30 at the Aruna Sunderlal Auditorium, The Bangalore School of Music. The gig is a special showcase which is the result of a collaboration with other String students of The Bangalore School of Music to create awareness and raise funds for Snehagram, a Bengaluru-based organisation working for the empowerment of HIV-affected youngsters through educational, vocational, training and health programmes. In a freewheeling chat, he tells usmore...
“While I lived in India, I came across many children with HIV. My mother is a pediatrician specialising in infectious diseases and she used to volunteer at Snehagram when she was a professor at St Johns Hospital in Bengaluru. I made many visits to Snehagram with my mother. Being a child, I couldn’t understand what most of the children living there had been through,” begins Rishi, who adds, “Most children there were orphans. Fr. Mathew, the director, started a programme where some of the children could spend a holiday weekend with a host family. We hosted one of the children living at Snehagram for Diwali, While I got to know more about the plight of orphans, donating for a cause to Snehagram seemed to be the least I could do.” Rishi hopes to raise '5 lakh — which will be used at Snehagram for many activities such as developing their dairy farm, helping these teenagers find jobs, or simply in providing a good education. Rishi is also a member of the River Hill High School Symphony Orchestra, and he currently lives in Baltimore.
Hailing from a family of music aficionados, the idea of pursuing music was always on the cards. Rishi shares, “My grandmother is a singer in church and my mother plays the veena. My father and my uncle Ajit are both singers. One day I was at an L Subramanian concert, and was struck by the beautiful instrument he was playing — the violin. My mother helped me find a teacher and I started learning violin Carnatic music when I was seven years old. I was fascinated by how L Subramanian was able to combine Carnatic with Western classical and I eventually decided to learn Western classical music on my violin.”
Wise beyond his years, Rishi likes challenges. Speaking about what inspires him, he says,“Strive to achieve something even though there are obstacles.” During breaks, he loves being outdoors. “I love running,” Rishi shares.
He might not have absolute clarity on the road ahead, but is on a mission. “I plan on continuing to play the violin and instilling happiness in others through my music,” he ends.
