OmanPride: Young Muscat musician to donate proceeds from concerts to charity

More sports Sunday 23/July/2017 19:50 PM
By: Times News Service
OmanPride: Young Muscat musician to donate proceeds from concerts to charity

Santrupth G.R. Vedanthi, an Oman-based musician and student of the Indian School Muscat, whose second album Palasampada released in July, has decided to donate the proceeds from the sale of this album to set up a drinking water facility in Gowdgere, a village located on outskirts of Bengaluru, in the India state of Karnataka.

Nearly 400 families are expected to benefit from this drinking water plant, which will take at least two months to set up. To help cope with the present drinking water issue, Vedanthi has decided to supply 25 litre water bottles to each of the families in the village.

Vedanthi’s new album Palasampada is composed by Grammy award-winning musician Prakash Sontakke, who is one of the leading composers in the field of Hindustani classical and fusion music. One of the compositions is dedicated to India’s river Ganga. The Indian School Muscat student, who has been showing great promise in the field of music, has been using his talent for a bigger purpose since he was 11. The young man has been using his capacity for music to help serve the community by raising funds for a variety of causes through various ways.

Speaking about the initiative, Vedanthi said, “When I heard that people in the village do not have access to enough drinking water, I felt sad and wanted to contribute in my own way. I felt I must contribute my share and show care for these people, who are victims of water shortage. I thought the best way to do it is to donate the sale proceedings of my new album.” His new album comprises a rich blend of rhythms and vibrant melodies that embraces the diverse cultures of world music.

While Vedanthi balances academics, music lessons, concerts, and fund raising with ease, the young man has always managed to connect his passion for music with causes close to his heart. In 2014, he donated OMR1,000 to the Oman Cancer Association from the money raised through his performances in Oman. Since then he has been setting aside money he earns through his concerts for such causes. All the money he has earned through the sale of his first album Amogha Milana is being donated to the cause of cancer awareness in Muscat and for Manonandana — a school for the mentally challenged in Bengaluru.

Vedanthi has also donated proceeds from his performances to the Bengaluru Hospice Trust — Karunashraya — which provides free professional palliative care for advanced stage cancer patients, who are beyond cure. He was also part of the Trinity Live in Concert organised in Muscat to raise awareness and funds for the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disability.

The immensely talented Vedanthi was selected to attend the week-long Stanford Jazz Workshop which started on July 16 at Stanford University, United States. While Vedanthi has completed a five-week scholarship programme at the US-based Berklee College of Music (BCM) at 13, he became the youngest student to clear eighth grade in drums from London’s Trinity College of Music.

Vedanthi, who plays five instruments, has played drums for India’s renowned composer, A.R. Rahman’s Jai Ho Muscat concert. He has also shared the stage and been mentored by Sivamani, Gino Banks, Bikram Ghosh, Dilip Doshi, and Arunkumar, who are all eminent names from the world of percussion.