SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 (PAGE 4) PERSONALITY "Music is God gifted" “To my younger self...”

Sunny Dua for a brief time performed at private events and also directed music independently. This gave him an edge and he was able At a time when both Ghazal singers to execute title songs of about five hundred Tele-serials. "My and listeners are finding themselves journey was consistent as I was not in a hurry. To upkeep the ethics of music, I also declined offers to sing at not so desir- on the back seat of music world, son able places and never compromised on my principles. I was put in the highest grade by All India Radio (AIR) about two of soil (City of Temples- Jammu) decades ago and now I am a member of same committee that Jitender Singh is making waves by decided grades for artists", he said adding that this could become possible by not getting deviating from the goal. singing original compositions and Asked about greatest challenge that he ever faced, he nar- ruling the hearts of millions by his rated, "Getting a teacher who enlightens you and brings out the best in you is one such challenge which I overcame by voice which he believes can be having Pandit Mani Prasad as my teacher. Music I believe is perfected only by persistent a God gifted art and is inbuilt. A good teacher explores that in you, sharpens it and then inspires you to take on the world". practice. Another challenge about two decades ago was to make your- Born and brought up in Jammu, Jitendra's journey into self reach to right audience especially when there was no the music world had started when he was in school but he such exposure or medium that newcomers have today in the Gehna Kochhar perfected the art only when he reached his Guru (Teacher) form of channels and social sites. “To my younger self..” Pandit Mani Prasad of Kirana Gharana at Delhi. Recalling his best performances, Jitender Singh said, " “My heart aches for the girl I was, one stage performance at FICCI auditorium in Delhi where Success for this renowned ghazal singer Jitender Singh The girl that lost herself to impart hope to others. Jamwal is when audience during any performance requests music icons like Suresh Wadekar and Kavita Krishna Murti were also performing people showered their love and made The hesitant girl afraid to speak up for what her heart the singer to sing his/her own song or ghazal which when fol- felt, The one ready to give up everything lowed by thundering applause and showering of love me sing more than my allotted time slot. Another one such Just to see smiles on her fellow’s face. “ becomes an acknowledgment for the hard work that had performance was at Siri Fort Auditorium where I performed gone into making of an artist. Born and brought up in Jammu alongside ghazal singer Anoop Jalota, Bhupendra, Mitali and I wish I could go back and tell her that the world isn’t - City of Temples and trained in Indian classical vocal music, Hari Haran". as sweet as it’s portrayed, The laughs aren’t as genuine Jitender Singh is one such example who with his hard work ed. Institute of Music and Fine Arts, Jammu used to hire Asked what he does off the stage that encourages him on as they are heard, It’s all a lie, sometimes or maybe has established himself as a ghazal singer par excellence. artists from outside the state when his father first sent him to stage, Jitender informed that consistent practice and living a always. He owns to his credit many performances, awards, recog- learn Tabla in late 80s but this was not his cup of tea. simple life keeps him motivated all the time. Prayers, medi- Here’s to my younger self, For loving everyone more nitions and positions at national and international level. In an His real journey into the world of music started when he tation and company of a chosen few friends besides family than she loved herself. exclusive interview to Daily Excelsior, Jitender Singh said, "I for the first time unleashed his talent/creativity at Jammu including his wife Kanika Ghosh Singh, an acclaimed Kathak But you think that made her weak? practice singing every morning without any excuse which is a University and won accolades. He then represented Jammu Dancer are big support and good enough to keep him No that made her the strongest- “because after you’ve must for budding artists as well as an established performer. University at inter university competition held at Akola, engaged off the stge. loved so much, after you’ve been through all the hate, He loves Jammu as much as he loves music and never misses Maharashtra where he sang Log Behre Hai Inhe Dil Ki Asked to give a message to youngsters or those who intend after all the heartbreaks and the acceptance of your fears, any opportunity to visit his birth place to meet his family, Sunayana Na Karo...Band Darwaazo Pe Awazen Lagaya Na to take music as career, he said, 'classical music is the base You meet yourself. friends and also perform for his fans and admirers. Karo...(People are deaf, don't open your heart to them....Stop and parents must guide their wards well. No music is bad but You explore yourself. Having made a mark in the world of music especially in knocking at the closed doors....) in light vocal category and instead of getting fascinated by anything that doesn't build a You go on, on a journey to a destination that’s unseen, ghazal singing he has also given his voice to Dogri songs, jin- won first prize. Written by Ashok Ambalvi, this very compo- strong foundation focus should be on learning classical music Not known to anyone including you, sition of Hari Krishan made Jitendra an instant hit amongst gles and bhajans besides given music in scores of films, TV and practicing the same for hours. Finding a true Guru You go on to believe there’s no one who’s going to love his friends and competitors. (Teacher) should be another task so that your ward doesn't serials, plays and dance dramas. He gives credit for his being you for you more than you yourself. a singer to his father who introduced him to the music and Ever since then he never looked back. Fascinated by his land up wasting his years'. scintillating performance at Akola and seeing depth in his Expressing his concern over ghazal singing taking a back Is there anything better than that? his teacher (Guru) Pandit Mani Prasad of Kirana Gharana. In a life that’s so uncertain, So cruel yet so welcom- Keeping a pace with modern day technologies, he also has a voice, his friends like Sudershan asked Jitender to move to seat and depleting takers of this kind of music, he said it's a ing, Why wouldn’t we want to live, laugh ,and love, or is great fan following on social sites including YouTube were Delhi and learn music vigorously. Having sought a formal phase that comes. Music keeps rotating and resurfacing. 'Shani Chalisa' recited by him has crossed over five crore hits. consent from parents and his passion drew him to Kathak During the time when names like Jagjit Singh, Mahandi it just in the books? Bhajans, Shabads and Mantras recited by Jitender are so Kendra near Mandi House where National School of Drama Hassan, Hari Prasad, Bhim Sen, Pandit Jasraj, Bade Ghulam Being a child, My heart used to desire for people to melodious that his voice has become a household name (NSD) is also located and is the hub of performing arts. This Ali Khan Sahib, Hari Haran and Madhu Rani used to sing love me, For them to complete me, To make me feel bet- wherein his admirers play his audios at home during morn- gave him an environment and he started practicing robustly another kind of music was being developed that never ter about my self, To make me realize my worth? ing and evening prayer times. Ghazals though are a passé yet by waking up at five every morning. deterred their true admirers. They continue to rule the hearts “But growing up I discover why wasn’t I ever my first keep making rounds in every era, he said adding that music His first teacher in Delhi was Brijmohan Mishra, popular- of their admirers even today. It's the duty of parents to feed choice? is innate and especially classical which can be refined only if ly known as Pandit Birju Maharaj who is an exponent of right kind of music to their children and young generation so “ The love we give to others is the love we deserve.” it springs in any vocal cord. Born to Rajinder Singh Jamwal Handia (Rikhipur), Allahabad Kalka Bindadin Gharana of that they do not get deviated from basics. We were too young to understand this. and Raj Rani, Jitender had an inclination towards music Kathak dance in India with whom he sang and travelled Jitender Singh concluded saying, "voice is basic element But now... right from an early age. around the globe. Jitender during his prime time also got a of a song and every individual is gifted with a specific You’ve to be the one who picks up all the broken Narrating his journey into the world of music, he said that job at Kathak Kendra, Delhi but left it to pursue his passion. acoustic feature which segregates one from the rest. pieces, and it’s on you whether to make the best out of it all his family members are music lovers especially his father Continuing his journey, he finally moved to Pandit Mani Irrespective of competition in the world of music one must or let the broken pieces hurt your soul for life. It’s you who wanted him to learn vocal formally. A strong believer in Prasad of Kirana Gharana who after a formal ritual of 'Ganda concentrate on his/her own voice, practice consistently and who decides. spirituality, Jitender said, "Music is God gifted art and one Bandhan' (A ceremony) adopted him as student (Shishya). then leave an everlasting impact on the listeners. That's Here’s to another year of never looking back and Jitender recalls that during initial years of his career, he can only refine it for which a real Guru (teacher) is also need- what music is all about! growing stronger!

PERSONALITY NATURE “Won't join politics as I can't Children of the Same God change my personality” India's first Cricket World Cup winning captain Kapil You have played cameos in films over the years. Do you ever consider playing a role Dev was the guest at Ek Mulakat Vishesh organised in a full fledged film? by Prabha Khaitan Foundation (PKF) and Shree No, not at all. My mother had said I should never do anything other than sports as I do not Cement. From cricket to politics to social media, have a good appearance (laughs). So I never tried Kapil Dev played every ball like a true allrounder, (acting). I haven't acted in a cameo but just played in a candid conversation with Ehsaas Woman the Kapil Dev role to make a movie better and look authentic. of Delhi Archana Dalmia. Souvik Ghosh brings You also refrained from entering into highlights politics. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi which one was likely to have made them sick. This kind of memory, I don't mind fighting elections and coming into known as episodic memory, is different from associative learning, as, politics. I didn't join politics because I had In the book/film ‘Sophie’s Choice’, the protagonist is forced to when a dog learns he will earn a cookie by responding to the com- choose between the lives of her two children. How would you decide? learnt that it was not possible to air an opin- mand ‘sit’. Episodic memory is the capacity to think back to a specif- Many meat eaters try to justify killing animals by claiming they can ion contrasting with the party chief. I can't ic event, sometimes long ago— something that rats are able to do just neither feel nor think. They place intelligence as the primary criteri- like humans. change my own personality for politics. I on that warrants continuation on the planet. Here is proof that all Fish are often mistaken to have no intelligence, no memory, and can't become a politician because I don't creatures great and small are both wise and wonderful. no ability to feel pain. Completely false. A new, well researched, book want to curve my own, natural way to think. Let’s start small. Look how social insects, like bumblebees, can shows how fish have many abilities not that different from our own. Winning or losing an election is different as solve complex non-natural tasks. A research team trained bumble- Archerfish and damselfish are able to recognise human faces, even long as I have an opinion of my own. I bees to pull on a string in order to access a sugar water treat. The bees when the faces are partly obscured. This demonstrates that the would even stand with the Opposition if my that acquired the string-pulling skill were labelled ‘innovators’. 25 machinery, for the visual analysis and processing of objects, is pres- opinion matches with it. That's the way pol- untrained bees watched the innovator bees solve the puzzle. About ent in fish. Of course we know that dogs can tell humans apart, but 60% of these ‘naïve’ bees learned just by watching the trained bees. itics is in my mind. they can also identify human expressions. Studies show how dogs are The team then introduced a single innovator bee to three separate You are a role model for the young able to consistently recognise the difference between happy and angry cricketers who are playing for the colonies of untrained bees. The skill spread quickly and half of the untrained bees gained the ability by learning from the original inno- human faces. Even better, dogs can manifest emotional expressions country, regions as well the IPL on their own faces to evoke a desired human response. In a 2017 study, teams. How does it feel? vator bee. Even after the original innovator bee died, the skill contin- ued to be passed on to future generations. So, apart from the enor- psychologists concluded that dogs display certain facial expressions No, I think role models keep on changing mous intelligence required to design and operate intricate hives and in order to win human sympathy and attention. These particular facial from time to time. The role models of social systems, bees have the ‘smarts’ to learn, teach, internalise and expressions are not a reaction to food or any other stimuli, and nor today's generation are Yuvraj Singh, Dhoni pass on new skills. are they something that dogs do when they interact with each other. (MS Dhoni), Virender Sehwag, Sourav Cambridge University tested western scrub jays to see what they In other words, dogs make these ‘faces’ only in the presence of humans Ganguly. Maybe after 10 years, the role remembered about foods they had salted away. The birds were given to get their attention! models would probably be Virat Kohli, different items to hide, some perishable (worms), others durable Goats are as clever as dogs. They too read emotions and can tell Shikhar Dhawan because every generation (peanuts). Four hours later, the jays looked for the worms—their the difference between happy and sad humans. They gaze at humans keeps on changing. 30 years later, the kids favourite food—before they looked for the nuts, but five days later in the same way as dogs do when asking for a treat that is out of reach. won't know so many cricketers who have their response was reversed. They didn’t bother to look for the worms, They are, in fact, just as capable of building emotional relationships played in my time. which by then would have rotted, but they still remembered the peanut with humans as any dog or cat. Sheep too are good with faces. They How do you feel about the Ranchi locations. So, not only were the birds clever enough to remember their can distinguish between different expressions in humans, as well as man Mahendra Singh Dhoni who hiding places, but also to judge what should be eaten now and what detect changes in the faces of anxious sheep. Researchers found that took forward your legacy of winning saved for later. sheep recognize the faces of at least 50 other sheep and can remem- the World Cup? Never be mean to a crow. Studies show how these birds can accu- ber 50 different images. rately identify tormentors. Like us, crows seldom forget or forgive and It's not only about the World Cup. It's Perhaps the greatest sign of intelligence, even in humans, is know- take revenge whenever their target is least expecting it. Plus, they call ing what you previously do not know. In one study, a dolphin named about people like Dhoni, me, Harbhajan in reinforcements, in the form of their mates, who happily join in the (Harbhajan Singh) or Zaheer Khan who Natua was asked to identify a high tone and a low tone. He swam at surprise attack. The intelligence at work here seems comparable to different speeds toward the response, depending on how easy or hard came from a very small town. 30 years ago, our military strategists executing surgical strikes. the answer was. When the tones were quite distinct, Natua swam con- cricketers hardly used to come from small Chickens have a sense of numbers and can actually count. In one fidently at full speed. If the tones were sort of similar, though, Natua towns or tier two or tier three cities. Now 90 study, young chicks were able to track the changes of two quantities slowed down, waggled his head, and wavered. Instead of touching one per cent of the cricketers used to come from of objects hidden behind screens. They could consistently point out of the paddles to make his choice, he selected the opt-out paddle (ask- semi-metro cities and towns. In 20 years where the larger quantity was hidden, even when the puzzle required ing for a new trial), which meant he knew that he’d probably flunk the from now, I am sure lots of cricketers will addition or subtraction. task. So clever. come out from very small towns, may be from vil- But when it comes to maths, elephants may just be one of the clever- Is winning the World Cup in 1983 still the No surprises at how bright are our closest animal relatives, chimps. most defining moment of your life? lages because sports have gone to all across India. est creatures. A 2018 study shows how Asian elephants are able to process numbers in a more complex manner, similar to humans. When heading out to a specific fig tree, where they have recently eat- Not at all. I don't think so. The most important Now Natarajan (T. Natarajan), the bowler who en, they can figure out how much sooner they would need to set out moment is still the day when I was born and the is playing for India, is the son of a mother who runs Researchers trained a 14-year-old Asian elephant, named Authai, to use a computer touch screen panel. She had to indicate with the tip for trees far away from their nest, as for those nearby, to arrive at about second most important day was when I played for a tea stall and a father who is working as a coolie. the same early hour at both, in order to beat the rush by other ani- India first. To me as a kid, the most important was He is playing for India! That's the change that of her trunk, which one of two figures, shown to her at a time, con- tained more items. These ranged from 0 to 10 items. Authai was mals. This suggests calculation of travel time based on distance, as to represent the country. That was the best time of sports have brought to this country. well as the ability to plan ahead based upon past experience. Equally my life. You had no social media in your time. Do rewarded whenever she chose the figures featuring the larger num- ber of items. This she did correctly 181 out of 271 times -- a success impressive is their power of inferential reasoning. In a test, apes were Ranveer Singh is going to portray you in you think it was a blessing or curse? presented with two covered cups after they had learned that only one 83, which will also see Deepika Padukone I think both. I will only ask people to use this rate of 66.8 per cent. Not just a pretty good score but evidence that nonhuman animals have cognitive characteristics, partially identical would contain grapes. Both cups were covered and shaken. As expect- as your wife Romi Dev. Your thoughts. medium for betterment. We should try to share ed, the apes preferred the cup in which they could hear the grapes. The movie is on the 1983 team, which had won good news on social media and be proud of those to human counting. Rats are so small that the terror they evoke seems like an overre- When mice are in pain, they grimace. Just like us. When chimps the World Cup. The film is about the journey of because at the end of the day, knowledge is action. Rats display a remarkable ability to reason. The fact that they are tickled, they laugh. If we cannot see how amazingly bright animals India's World Cup win. The makers are going to strength. Technology, if it is taken in the right spir- avoid certain toxic foods, even if they don’t become nauseated until are, it is our own lack of intelligence, not theirs. And if you can still it, is wonderful, otherwise it can be devastating. show both good and bad experiences of that jour- hours later, cannot be explained by simple association. It seems that bring yourself to eat an animal, you are clearly not using your head. ney. (IBNS-TWF) they are able to think back to previous food encounters to determine Or your heart.