Having made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for being the youngest ever tabla player when he was just six, Truptraj Pandya’s passion knows no bounds
MARIA FERNANDES | NT
Truptraj Pandya was hardly three years old when he gave his first live performance on All India Radio, and six when he entered the Guinness Book of World Records for being the youngest ever tabla player.
Till date, he has given 200 plus public performances at various events and created a buzz in the media – local, national, and international. In addition, he has acted in a movie called ‘Bands of Maharaja’ and has spoken twice at TEDx events about his love for music and passion for playing tabla. He has also received the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar for Arts & Culture in 2019-20 as well as the Global Prodigy Award 2020.
According to his father, Atul, Truptraj was born with a sense of rhythm. His natural attraction to percussion was seen when he was very young. He would sit beside his grandmother while she sang devotional songs and play aluminium dabbas as an instrument. “I think I had an ear for music since I was a child and rhythm was always on my mind,” says the young genius. His repertoire today is mainly folk and devotional music and the accompanying vocals are often provided by his father.
Achieving success at a young age is not easy, it comes with a lot of hard work and determination. Juggling school and music along with his love for sports is second nature for this ace performer. He served as his school’s basketball team captain for four years until 2019. “Time management for me is crucial and managing my ‘taleem’, which I never skip, along with studies and my love for basketball is sometimes a hurdle. Focus and prioritising hence are important,” he says. Like any youngster, there are other distractions. “I have had to sacrifice many things like going out with friends, partying, social media, and video games. In the end, I try to maintain a balance,” he adds. He believes challenges and obstacles are a part of life and says, “Challenges come but we need to find a solution or a way around them.”
Fame and accolades have not robbed the young tabla maestro of humility – he is modest and friendly. Good parenting and solid family values have kept him grounded. “I have always been taught by my parents to be humble and that has held me in good stead. Being kind to others is also an important character trait,” he says. “Who I am today is because of my father. I would not have reached this point without his nurturing and encouragement. All credit goes to him.” He also gives credit to his school, teachers, and friends, who have been very supportive and accommodating.
In his opinion, patience, consistency, and an open mind are essential qualities that a tabla player requires. “Practice and more practice is required to be a good tabla player; there is no shortcut,” he states. To be a professional, it takes years of practice. As Truptraj says, “You do not get results overnight.” Without consistency in practice, he adds, it is impossible to move forward. “Practicing once or twice a week is not sufficient. The practice cycle should repeat everyday like a loop and even if you are not able to play the tabla because of some circumstances, tabla has to be on your mind all the time. Even this is a kind of ‘riyaaz’ which is really important.” Creativity, improvisation, and an open mind are much needed as well. “A tabla player who can improvise can accompany the singer and play the tabla according to the ‘bhaav’ (vibe) of the songs,” he says.
His advice to other teenagers is, “Do what you love.” Giving into family pressure, he believes, will only tire you and make quitting a solution. “But if you do things that you love, you will not get tired of it, you will always be hungry for more. You will remain motivated and passionate. Be patient,” he says.
