“Music has always been an integral part of my family. My great-grandfather’s elder brother and his wife were musicians. He was a violinist and served as the Mysore Maharaja’s Asthana Vidhvansulu, while she was a Vaggeyakarini, composing thousands of devotional songs. Their blessings inspired me to pursue music and continue their legacy.

Balancing music and education has been a constant in my life. Music has never disturbed my studies, and studies have never disturbed my music. My education at IIT Madras has been a strong pillar for my musical journey, helping me approach compositions with a unique perspective and enhancing my ability to grasp, memorize, and improvise music. I feel fortunate to have balanced both with the support of my parents and gurus.

My experience as a contestant on Indian Idol Season 3 has been phenomenal. From singing “Oh Chaliya Na Priya Sakhiya” in the auditions to “Enduku Chenthaki Vastavo” in recent episodes, the judges have always been eager to hear my performances. I’ve had some memorable and funny moments with the judges, especially Thaman garu, whose critiques start seriously but end with appreciation. I hope to receive similar appreciation from the audience.

With God’s grace, I have been able to balance my professional career and music. I don’t want to leave behind my IIT learnings or my passion for music. I aim to integrate my skills from both areas to create something unique and promising. Performing in front of other special guests and making an impact on the audience was always heartwarming. Winning the hearts of the audience is more important to me than winning titles.

At the beginning of my music career, I had the opportunity to work with legendary music directors like MM Keeravani garu, AR Rahman garu, Ravi Basroor, Jakes Bejoy, and Vivek Sagar garu. I’m grateful for the opportunities and the learnings from everyone in my career so far and look forward to achieving more.

To aspiring musicians, my advice is to be yourself. Everyone has a unique identity and approach. Realize your uniqueness, work towards bettering it, and it will take you places.”

• Anirudh Suswaram, Telugu Indian Idol Season 3 Contestant