Ragas from down under

That he came in the top 16 of the state, receiving a perfect score of 99.5 Australian Tertiary Admission Rank for Year 12 graduation, is only one part of the story. After all, Malayalis have this habit of scoring academically wherever they are. But then Ananthakrishnan Koloth, fondly called Ananthu, has another side. He has been learning Carnatic music since the age of eight, four years after he landed in Perth, Australia. A year after his arangettam, he met Dr K.J. Yesudas who was visiting Australia. When the legendary musician heard him sing, he offered to teach him further through Skype.

“We had an opportunity to have a dinner with him. On hearing that I study Carnatic music and learning about my passion for the art, he was kind enough to give me an opportunity to sing in front of him. He also agreed to teach me through Skype, and I had a few lessons which were really rewarding. I consider myself to be extremely lucky to have had this opportunity,” says young Ananthu. It was on his eighth birthday that he began his Carnatic lessons with Vidushi Smt. Chandrika Srinivas. Six years later he had his arangettam at Perth in 2013. “The chief guest for the occasion was Sri Neyveli Santhanagopalan,” Ananthu says.

His father Dr Radhakrishnan Koloth who is from Mavoor, Kozhikode, plays the tabala casually, and has been a great inspiration for Ananthu. His mother Manju is from Mavelikkara. “We visit friends and family in Kerala every year, and I have performed a few times there.” He has also performed in Bengaluru, as well as many times in Australia.

On the academic front, Ananthu is invited to receive an award from the governor on February 15.  “This is because I have received a General Exhibition Award which is given to top 50 students who have shown excellence in both science and art subjects. I am planning to pursue a career in Medicine at University of Western Australia.”