10 reasons why Carnatic vocalist Sanjay Subrahmanyan is your Uber-Cool ‘Guru” during the lockdown and for life!

Despite the various misunderstandings, misspellings and misprononciations of his name, he remains as patient as a rock.

(Trivia- Both Sanjay and Subrahmanyan are HIM.If you don’t understand that, let’s take an example. You are called Divya at home and your school name is Priyadharshini. And you become Divya Priyadharshini...Andha madhiri!!! )

Lockdown and life lesson- Patience is thy key virtue!

He keeps changing his avatar from time to time. Cool ain’t he?

Lockdown and life lesson- Your time during lockdown and life is limited- Experiment with your looks AND routine! And make sure you carry them well :)

And out of all those avatars , this one is voted the best! Undoubtedly so!

Lockdown and life lesson- A beard can look damn good. And maybe it is the best look ever. Maybe we all look better with our salon-less original faces. Maybe a lockdown can be a blessing!

In the field of Carnatic music that was soaked in conventions and tradition, Sanjay was one amongst the first to prove that while his music is VERY traditional, he, as a person, is very suave and unconventional-Quite stylish in fact.

He also proved that you can be a pioneer in a field and be quite successful. Nobody is a practicing musician from his immediate family-Not his parents, not his siblings, not his wife, not his children either....

And he himself gave up a ‘socially lauded” lucrative option of a career in chartered accountancy ( AND cost accountancy) to follow his passion...

Lockdown and life lessons- Quite evident isn’t it? The lockdown maybe is a time to pause, reflect and bravely follow one’s passion. You needn’t have a background to be successful in anything. And most importantly, never force your dreams on to your children!

Sanjay was one amongst the first ( in his generation, not sure about his predecessors, we didn’t see them in person) to make a Carnatic music stage devoid of too much color and glitter so that the focus could be on the music. His team on stage sticks to white and white- neutral, secular and neat. So much so, it became a style statement, much sought after by many who came after him.

Lockdown and life lessons- Trim the frills, de-clutter, remain distinct and remain neutral!

Sanjay Subrahmanyan’s instagram description goes like this-

Musician, Boardgamer, Reader, Arsenal, CSK, தமிழ்

And his twitter description goes this way-

South Indian classical singer, cricket crazy, almost done with ODIs & T20s, reader/boardgamer/gym rat/Arsenal/CSK

Anyone who follows him knows how he adores cricket.He is not just a general, musical inspiration-He is ALSO a fitness inspiration-As often stated and exclaimed “ Sanjay is ageing like fine wine”- Not by magic though, but by those dedicated hours at the gym. Apart from all this he gets the time and motivation to play board games and insta them, read voraciously ,and ‘excavate’ works of Tamil literature so he can integrate them in his musical presentations.

Lockdown and life lessons- Your work is important-But it is important to have an identity beyond just work. Time management is key to a productive life!

As a fan of Sanjay Subrahmanyan, I’ve often heard this – “If he is so great why is he not on TV? Why is he not a judge in any reality show?” Fair question, for many stalwarts do appear in reality shows. However he chose the road less travelled, and that is why his concerts are always overbooked-double booked and triple booked.

Lockdown and life lessons- Look for the road less travelled, in any situation. It may be tough, sometimes misunderstood but may be personally very satisfactory!

Having said that, he was amongst the earliest to establish contact with his audience through social media. He had a personal blog and podcast even before the world fully woke up to blogs and podcasts. A very active artist on social media, his fans love to engage with him on various platforms. He has even had a documentary film made on him..even before short films took the internet by storm.

Lockdown and life lessons- You are never too big or important to stop connecting with people! Use technology for a people purpose-engage without being annoying :)

It is difficult to express in words the kind of work and dedication Sanjay Subrahmanyan puts into each concert. It is not easy to have a repeat audience whose admiration for him only keeps increasing by leaps and bounds, over a period of time.

You cannot fake that kind of an adulation...there are no shortcuts to it except sheer hard work. Sanjay, as anyone knows is known for consistent sincerity towards his work and his audience. Hard work is his synonym!

Lockdown and life lessons- Work hard, be consistent and be sincere. There is no substitute.

Audience , his photographers, his fans....all of us know that Sanjay is capable of delivering a super complex high energy performance while all the time smiling at his fans and posing graciously for snaps.

Lockdown and life lessons- And while you are working hard through life and coping with the struggle,do not forget to smile.