“Performing on the grand stage of Koti Deepotsavam 2026 at NTR Stadium on Day 1, surrounded by thousands of devotees lighting diyas across the stadium, was a wonderful experience for us. Every Karthika Masam, this annual spiritual gathering brings Hyderabad together in devotion, sacred chants and live classical performances. What made this evening truly special was sharing the prestigious platform with our musical family: the students who have been learning from me for the last three to four years, alongside my guitarist, tabla player and keyboardist.
We began our performance with a beautiful bhajan, ‘Bho Shambho Shiva Shambho’, followed by the Isha chant ‘Yogeshwaraya Mahadevaya’. I then performed a solo bhajan, ‘Om Namah Shivaya’, sung by Kavita Krishnamurti, bringing our performance to a close. It was a pleasure and an honour to perform on such a prestigious stage. My students have been learning from me for almost three to four years, so they are familiar with performing together. I also regularly take up different musical gigs with my team, including our guitarist, tabla player and keyboardist. However, this was the first time I could bring my students and the entire team together for such a big performance. I would love to have this experience again with all of them.
My musical journey began in Odisha, where I grew up in a family with no background in music. I was the first in my family to take up music, and stepping into music was both challenging and interesting.
Over the years, I got opportunities to showcase my talent on television through Indian Idol Junior (Hindi), The Voice India Season 2, Telugu Indian Idol Season 4 and Padutha Teeyaga, where I secured a place in the top eight.
After completing my postgraduate studies and returning to Hyderabad, I began teaching and performing. I eventually founded Swaraatmikam Academy, where I serve as the founder and principal, training students in Hindustani classical, light and film music.
To aspiring artists, I would say never give up on your dedication and hard work, and never stop learning. Learning is a continuous process. Always focus on improving yourself every single day.”
- Revati Srita