Dr. Madhuri Smitha’s Carnatic Vocal concert was organised at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) under the Campus Concert Series on August 27, 2014 (Wed). Prof. E. Hari Babu, the acting VC, UoH welcomed the artiste and said Dr. Madhuri is a role model for people as she has been able to excel in many domains in spite of being visually impaired.
Dr. Madhuri’s concert titled “Saadhana” was very much justified by her inspiring performance that kept the audience spellbound. Saadhana started with the song Gana Ganapathi in Raga Hamshadhwani in Roopak Talam composed by the well known composer Muthiah Bhagavatar. This was followed by the melodious rendition of Samagana lole in Raga Hindolam (Roopaka Talam), Thyagraja’s compositions- Mohanarama in Raga Mohanam (Aadi Talam) and Nadathamumianisham in Raga Chitaranjini (Aadi Talam), Dikshitar’s composition Sellachalanatyakan in Raga Varali, Purandeshwara’s composition Iagadodharana in Raga Kapi (Aadi Talam), Annamacharya’s composition Nallanimeni and the song Dhanya Dhanya by Sant Eknath in Raga Durga. The recital captured full attention of the University community as they were completely immersed in the joy of divine music.
She was accompanied by Sri. O.Rajasekhar on Violin and Sri K.Srinivas on Mridangam.
Dr. Madhuri Smitha, who is apparently an alumnus of the UoH, has been practicing Carnatic Music for almost two decades. She has learnt music from Shri Neti Srirama Sarma and Late Mahamahopadhyay Nookala China Satyanarayana, and is presently learning from Shri Raghava Chary (Hyderabad Brothers). Madhuri has participated in music competitions conducted by renowned organizations such as Kala Sagaram, Sarada Bhakta Mandal Cultural Trust, Navya Nataka Samithi, Satya Sai Trust etc. and has bagged several prizes. She has given number of performances at the Yuva Vaani Programme conducted by the All India Radio (AIR).
Though denied of the great faculty of vision (Dr. Madhuri Smitha has total loss of vision) by nature, she is well endowed, by the same nature’s benevolence, with abundant intelligence and a will to achieve her own targets. She completed her Ph.D. programme in Economics from the University of Hyderabad in the year 2012 and was the first visually challenged person to do so in Economics at the University. Presently, she is working as Assistant Professor at the Department of Economics in the Osmania University College for Women, Koti, Hyderabad.
Stephanie Fell, MA-Economics