Playing Against the Odds

“Deepak grew up in the musical environment that the foundation provided. In fact I continued working even when I was pregnant,” says Savita, who wants Deepak to perform on the best stages in the world. “We wanted to give him the opportunities that other kids have,” says Jeejeebhoy, who has been taking special interest in Deepak’s music.

Deepak started playing the violin at the age of seven and trained under Gopal Chakravarty, one of the teachers at the institute. “I love playing the violin because I like the sound of it. Also, my teacher takes special care of me,” says Deepak. For his performance at the music festival in Japan, he is being trained by Japanese virtuoso Mika Nishimura, who facilitated the participation of the students from Mehli Mehta Foundation at the festival. The string ensemble, which leaves on September 18 for its eight-day tour, will also perform in Tokyo as part of a ‘Discover India’ seminar during its visit.

A Class V student of St Xaviers’ School, Deepak is a class topper, and he brings his determination and hard work to his music too. “He has the discipline to practise, which is the most important skill for a difficult instrument like the violin,” says Nishimura. Currently, Deepak is waiting for his passport to arrive so that he can apply for a visa. “I am excited to go to Disneyland. I have seen a few photos of the place and it looks great,” says an ecstatic Deepak.

meenakshi.iyer@expressindia.com

Curated For You

Dhurandhar Day 28 Box Office Collection Worldwide Update: Ranveer Singh’s film makes Rs 784.50 cr, set to demolish Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan record with global earnings

Howrah-Guwahati Vande Bharat Sleeper train: Check launch date, route, stoppages, ticket price, food menu

‘Complained for days, but no one listened’: Kailash Vijayvargiya confronted at ground zero of Indore water contamination