Vidya and vandana iyer biography template

Compiled by Anupama Krishnakumar

Music is an ocean. Many of us plunge into it for various reasons at different points in our lives. Music soothes, entertains, puts the spirit back into our souls, calms us down, lets us reflect and at other times, lets us get the sheer kick out of life. It means something for those who create it, something for those who receive it. Whatever be the genre, whoever you are – the creator or the listener, there’s one point that is undeniable – music is indispensable in human life; it adds meaning and a dash of colour to our existence. From nature to the most-technologically advanced gadgets, music seeps its way into our beings.

While it is indeed tough to get the complete picture of what music means to each and every one, given that music is such a nuanced experience, we at Spark, decided to talk to six very interesting people who are linked to the world of music in some way, to get an idea.

Spark is proud to feature Harish Sivaramakrishnan, Lead vocalist at Agam, a Bangalore-based music band that has been around since 2003, Namita Devidayal, Journalist and Author of the acclaimed books ‘The Music Room’ and ‘Aftertaste’, Krish Ashok, popular blogger known for the humour that permeates his writing, RJ Prithvi, the highly popular Radio Jockey at Radio One 94.3 FM Bangalore and Vidya & Vandana Iyer, the music sisters whose rendition of ‘Munbe Vaa’, ‘Ashai Mugam’ and ‘Nee Nenaindal’ with clarinetist and composer, Shankar Tucker went viral on YouTube.

These six people talk about what music means to them and provide a glimpse of how this beautiful art form has become a part of their lives. Diverse that their fields are, it is interesting to note how music can be learnt, savoured and shared in such different ways. We hope you enjoy the feature!

Harish Sivaramakrishnan, Lead Vocalist, Agam

American YouTuber and musician

Vidya Iyer (born September 26, 1990), better known by her stage nameVidya Vox, is an American YouTuber and singer. She was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India and immigrated with her family to the United States at the age of eight. According to NBC News, her music is a mix of "Western pop, electronic dance music, Bollywood hits, and Indian classical music." Since beginning her channel in April 2015, her videos have received over 906 million views, and her channel has accumulated over 7 million subscribers.

Personal life

Iyer was born in a Tamil family in Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India and was raised in Virginia in the United States. Her family is from Palakkad, Kerala, and her mother and grandmother grew up in Kerala. She speaks Tamil at home. She learned Carnatic music from the age of 5 and enjoyed listening to English music. She stated to having an identity crisis, being bullied for being Indian, and hiding her culture while growing up, but has stated she "now feels proud" of her culture.

She was inspired by her grandmother to pursue Indian classical music. She became confident of her Indian roots in college, joined the Indian Student Association, and joined Indian folk dance teams. She studied psychology and biomedical sciences at George Washington University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences. She moved to India for two years to learn music.

She collaborated on music with her sister, Vandana Iyer, and her boyfriend, Shankar Tucker, whom she met in college. She participates in bhangra and hip hop dance.

Career

Vidya Iyer regularly sings in a band organized by Tucker, along with percussionist Jomy George. She has performed in various locations around the world, including the White House, National Centre for

Welcome! to Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, inspiring happiness

I am Vidya Sury

Writer | Editor | Blogger

Email: vidya at vidyasury dot com

TL;DR (Too Long! Didn’t Read!)

So glad you’re here! I’d love to connect with you. My mission is to make you smile. I write about mindfulness, self help, books, parenting, health & wellness, travel, food, reflections, and experiences. Do enjoy browsing.

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Did you smile today? 

The long version! So settle down with your favorite beverage ♥

I have always enjoyed writing, thanks to my Mom’s constant encouragement. I wrote a diary for several years and continue to do so–highly therapeutic and most effective stress-buster! Writing is cathartic and an excellent way to express ourselves and lucky me–my current vocation!

I started this blog as a fun experiment in 2003 on Blogger, sharing snippets of my personal life, jokes, and thoughts. Over the years, I’ve become more focused, building it into a positive space featuring posts about

parentinggratitudehappinesspersonal developmentmindful livinghealth and wellness

book and product reviewstravelsocial causeshaikurelationshipspositive thinking

Practicing Gratitude is transformative and makes life beautiful. For several years, on the last Thursday of every month, I hosted the Gratitude Circle blog hop. Now I do it more sporadically, even though I write a daily gratitude journal.

I also post a “Wednesday Wisdom”,  series – short bursts of easy-to-consume wisdom in the form of stories, quotes, anecdotes, and humor.

Some random facts about me

Making lists and religiously sticking to them is the secret of my success and I thought I’d talk about myself through one, so here we go!

• Blogging, to me, is freedom of expression – a wonderful learning experience.  I am privileged to be part of several communities sharing