A Mridangam Artist, Chandrakanth was fascinated with the instruments since his childhood and devoted his entire life to music with a lot of practice and dedication.

M Chandrakanth is a Hyderabad based freelance Mridangam player. Chandrakanth has been learning how to play the Mridangam for the last fifteen years. Chandrakanth says that the Mridangam is an instrument that is used in Carnatic music.

When asked how he got interested in Mridangam, Chandrakanth says that while he was a child, he used to randomly tap on the utensils and doors of the house. His maternal uncle noticed his interest in music and got him admitted to a music school for learning how to play the Tabla. Chandrakanth says that he started with tabla initially and then somehow shifted to Mridangam and his journey continued since then. He further adds that he was an average student in studies and he completely devoted himself to music after completing his degree.

Recalling his childhood memories, Chandrakanth says that his childhood was a bit interesting. He says that he used to reside in Anantapur during his childhood and used to travel a lot between Anantapur and Hyderabad which made his childhood a bit hectic. Sharing one of his childhood memories that relate to his music career, Chandrakanth says that when once he shifted from his town to Hyderabad with his family, their financial situation was very weak and they were completely dependent on their relatives. He says that it was the time when he had to shift his focus from music to studies and he joined a long-term course in Vijayawada. However, he did not find any interest in studies and went into depression. Soon,  he decided to shift to a music career again which really became a turning point in his life, says Chandrakanth.

Talking about his music journey, Chandrakanth says that his journey has been a happy one, and he has a lot more to achieve further in his life. He says that when he started learning from his guru, that was the time when he realized that he had to go further and dedicate his life to music. Also, Chandrakanth says that his journey has been the happiest and most satisfying as of now.

Regarding his mistakes, Chandrakanth says that he considers his mistakes as opportunities to explore his life. He says that mistakes are the ways one can find themself. Chandrakanth says that after completing his degree from IIT, he had the opportunity to do a software job but he decided to go with a music career. He says that it was not his mistake but his choice to go with the music career.

Sharing about his achievements, Chandrakanth says that, for him,  there is still a lot to do. He further adds that he did not have any musical background and joining the field and then establishing himself as a good musician is a big accomplishment for him.

Talking about his role models, Chandrakanth says that his parents, relatives, and his beloved guru are his role models. He says that his guru not only taught him music, but also all the other aspects of life. He further adds that anything he sees and learns something from, is also a role model for him.

When asked how he deals with stress, Chandrakanth says that his music and his instrument really help him get stress free and feel relaxed.

Sharing about his life mantra, Chandrakanth says, “If you want to be a nice human being, be good and do good always.”