Summary
When something has got someplace in your heart, it will somehow manage to occupy and lighten some part of your daily routine, says Lahama as she manages music & studies together
In the last few years, she has consistently performed and received praise for her excellent skill in a number of national music competitions
A talented musician, Lahama Das Talukdar is a class 11 student at Berhampore Lipika Memorial Girls' High School. She performs Hindustani Classical music in the rare Dhrupad style, which is distinct from other styles performed today.
When asked about how she got into music, Lahama said, ‘Actually, it was my father's wish to introduce me to singing. Then as I grew and got attached to music, I realized what immense effect music has had on me.’
When something has got someplace in your heart, it will somehow manage to occupy and lighten some part of your daily routine. Her daily routine revolves around music which may not always be the formal rewaz. ‘When I am dressing up or brushing my teeth I hum something and it gives me pleasure and peace. I feel the literature and rhythm of the music in my life and for sure it's the most wonderful gift to be able to understand and enjoy the beauty of music,’ shared Lahama.
At the young age of 4, she started getting singing lessons from Pandit Falguni Mitra. However, because of the difficult gharana she chose to study, it wasn't until recently—after showing great mastery of the art form—that she was formally allowed to perform her music in front of an audience.
She continued taking online singing lessons despite the Covid 19 outbreak which truly shows her dedication to music.
‘Music is my passion and it leads the way in my life. Whatever the state of my mind, music is the only thing that always stays by my heart and gives me a warm feeling of accompaniment. Music protects me from sorrow and soothes my heart. I can say that it's worth living for savouring the unbelievably glorious taste of music’, Lahama expressed her love for music.
In the last few years, she has consistently performed and received praise for her excellent skill in a number of national music competitions. She is an all-arounder with various interests, a talented orator, and was also awarded first place in her school for the West Bengal Madhyamik exam.
When asked about how she manages her daily music practice & studies together, Lahama said, ‘I am able to balance study and music easily. Both stay with me all day long. I cannot practice for 4 hours daily, but there's not a single minute in my life when some kind of humming or thought of music is not occupying my brain. My study gets better for music, and my music gets better for study. The rhythm I feel in music I find in Newton's Laws and in the properties of aromatic compounds and so on. The literature I get taught while reading English and Bengali helps me to present some songs with more appeal.’
Lahama enjoys research-based science study & literature at the same time. Currently, in grade 11, she is studying pure science, and still figuring out what subjects she’d take up in college.
Furthermore, she mentioned, ‘No matter what I take up as a career, music is always gonna stay with me because music has got my heart, I am devotedly in love with music.’
For Lahama, being a winner of the 18 Under 18 Award Chapter II has made her more eager to bring Dhrupad, the beautiful aristocratic and majestic really old art form which is getting unpopular nowadays, in modern society.
‘It's a great honour to have won the 18 Under 18 Award. It encourages me to be more inclined to passion and one more thing I would like to say, 18u18 has brought together some truly devoted & passionate young people in different fields. To witness such devotion of others towards their passion and their immense desire to get along with those passions has really moved me in getting more attached to mine which is music. I am feeling really grateful to the team of The Telegraph’s Edugraph for giving me such an extraordinary opportunity.’
Last updated on 13 Feb 2023
