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Young World
Multifaceted achiever
SURESH KUMAR
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She is a singer with many albums to her credit already.
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Photo:Vipin Chandran
Parvathy Manjunath: Talent unleashed.
It’s a pleasure to watch Parvathy Manjunath sing. The 11-year-old girl was born without her right hand but there is no bitterness. Music is her heart and soul. She prays with fervour even though she can’t fold her hands.
Parvathy Manjunath, affectionately called ‘Veena’ by her parents and relatives, is familiar with television viewers in and outside Kerala. She entered the finals of Amrita TV Super Star show 2007 and came fourth in the contest.
The winning of a cash prize of Rs.50000/- and gold medal was the beginning of a saga. She is a standard VI student of Bhavans Vidya Mandir, Girinagar, Kochi.
Worthy teachers
Manjunath, her father was the first guru. His eldest son Vishnu is a mridangam artist. It is Vishnu, who palys the mridangam during his sister Parvathy’s concerts.
“My father motivates me to sing. I learnt the swaras from him’, said Parvathy. She practises every morning and evening at home.
Her ‘arengettam’ was five years ago at the famous Mahadeva temple, Vaikom. Initiated into music by the doyen V. Dakshinamoorthy, Mavelikkara Subhramaniam and Vaikom Jalaja are her gurus in carnatic music.
“It was Amrita TV super star contest which made me a celebrity. I have many fans, who call me and recognise me wherever I go. I get to do programmes with major music troupes in and outside India”, smiles Parvathy.
Parvathy has sung for devotional song albums in Telugu and Kannada as well as the remake of the Malayalam music album ‘Villali Veeran’ devoted to Lord Ayyappa. Christian devotional songs titled ‘Likhitham’ sung by her have hit the stand. She had sung along with major music troupes in the United Arab Emirates.
“Her passport renewal is easy, as the superintendent at Kochi is her fan. Among other fans include IG Sreelekha,’ says Sandhaya, the proud mother. It is Sandhya, who accompanies her daughter to stage shows in and outside Kerala.
After super star contest, it was the devotional music album titled ‘Villali veeran’ on Lord Ayyappa that brought her laurels. Noted playback singer Madhu Balakrishnan had also sung in the album. Johnny Saagarika brought out the CD album. After it became a success, its Telugu and Kannada versions came out.
Music albums
“My voice and pitch in the alien languages were appreciated by all’, says Parvathy, proudly.
The Christian devotional album ‘Likhitham’ penned and composed by Baby John Kalayanthani is the latest album sung by Parvathy.
Her talent is not confined to singing only. Parvathy has been a versatile crafter, painter, short story writer and a poet.
A Malayalam short story written by her titled ‘Visha soochi patticha pani’ (Mischief Played by Poisonous Needle) stands testimony to her writing talent. She creates stuff from waste matter like ice-cream stick, beads and cloth.
Parvathy got the third prize in the national light music contest held at New Delhi recently. She sang the famous Latha Mangeshkar song ‘Kuhu, kuhu….’.
She is an ardent admirer of Latha Mangeshkar.
The Sangam Kala Group, Kochi, conducted the preliminary round for the competition in Kerala.
She was the lone contender selected in the Sub-junior category from the state.
Prizes galore
Parvathy has come first in various music competitions held under the All Kerala Bhavan’s School Youth Festival.
She had won the first prize in the Bhagavad Gita chanting competition conducted by the Chinmaya Mission recently.
She was first in M. K. Arjunan (music director) musical festival held at Kochi. She came first in the DC books music competition held recently.
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