23 November 2009 - Indian Express and Bangalore Mirror

BANGALORE: In a quaint little house in Indira Nagar, a three-year-old boy heard the pitter patter of the raindrops and moved his head in sync with the sounds. His mother, sensing the musical ability in her boy, bought him a mridangam. Soon, he took to the instrument like a natural. Roshan Rajan was only three and he already seemed to have imbibed the rhythms of nature.

Cut to the present. Roshan looks contemplative as he walks to his desk. He softly hums a song and takes a seat. Being the president of the music club at his office, he has a slew of tasks lined up for him. And having recently received the Tipu award from the state government in recognition of his contribution to music, he has another feather in his cap, apart from 800 concerts he has held in the city so far. Working in 24/7, an IT company, where he is housed in the learning and development department, he has no qualms about his demanding schedule or his inability to see the world the way others do.

Once someone called him blind.

That’s when it struck him he was. “I was raised like a normal child. I was sent to a normal school and college.

I was in my first standard when a boy told me that I was blind. I went home and told my mother about it.

She asked me who was greater, me or that boy? See, I use all my senses to perceive the world - my feet, my hand and everything. Another one doesn’t. So, am I not more active?” The man can play almost every musical instrument under the sun - tabla, mridangam, keyboard, guitar, mouth organ, violin and harmonium.

“I also learnt Carnatic music for six years. My parent then put me on to bhajan classes as well and then Hindustani,” he recounts. “My younger brother, Ritvik, is also into music. He is a born musician,” says Roshan. “We perform together at concerts,” he adds. So far, the duo has performed at 800 concerts in the city. Last year, Roshan also performed for the King of Jordan along with Vasundhara Das. “It was a great experience. The king loved it,” he remembers.

“My dream now is to work with AR Rahman. He once said in an interview that he is willing to give chance to two visually challenged people. So my brother, who is also visually challenged, and I would like to sing for him,” he says. But otherwise, he is busy taking music classes at home and in the office and he hopes to start a music school soon.

“My parents have been my biggest source of inspiration. And my wife too. I’m here because of them. I see music as a big river. And I am standing on its banks, gathering as much knowledge as I can,” he signs off.