Classical music’s child prodigy

13-year old Malavika Anand is making a mark in the classical music circuit with two audio albums, several high-profile performances, numerous awards and accolades

Vivek Bhoomi

Malavika Anand was just two years old, when she started singing jingles. It was at that moment, when her parents Vivekananda and Suchita Anand, recognised her gifted talent. A decade later, she became a prominent voice of Hyderabad in the classical and devotional music arena. Two audio albums, several high-profile performances, numerous awards and accolades later, her passion for classical music has now become the purpose of her life.

Malavika was trained in Carnatic classical music by ‘Sangeeta Kala Ratna’ Revathy Ratna Swamy at a very tender age. She amazed many, when she made her first music album titled ‘Sri Hari Keerthanam’ where she sang in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Hindi, a feat which earned her a place among the unique world records at the age of 12. She recorded the album when she was 9. She released her second album on Ramadasu Keerthanas, titled ‘Dasaratharama Govinda’ when she was 11.

Malavika gave more than 40 shows across south India till date. She has performed at Bhadrachalam Sri Rama Temple on the eve of Sri Rama Navami, at Satya Sai Baba’s Aaradhana Mahotsav, at the World Telugu conference in Tirupati and multiple times at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam.

She takes inspiration from MS Subbulakshmi, whom she idolises, other than her Guru Revathy. For all the nay-saying parents who fail to understand the potential of their children, Malavika’s story is a perfect mixture of great parental encouragement persistence, strength, determination and loads of creativity, which is shaping the life of a thirteen-year old girl. She believes that when it comes to music, only sky is the limit. Apart from being a classical singer, she endeavors to study architecture when she enters college.