Using My Voice for Change

My days in school are some of my most cherished days. Memories of friends, of learning, of teachers that I have tried to emulate, of school premises... Trips, conversations over lunch breaks, the excitement of preparing for sports days and school annual days. Those were the days that I dreamed of becoming someone; those were the days I longed to travel around the world.Growing up in a multicultural city such as Bombay, being a Bombayite has been a major influence in my life and has exposed me to various different facets of culture, including different genres of art. Bombay also allows one to see the highs and lows of living, all coexisting and complementing each other.I began to sing in public as a schoolgirl because my math teacher, who loved music, encouraged me. The seeds of who I have become were sown during my schooldays. I went to St. Antony's Convent and graduated from R. A. Poddar in Commerce and Economics. Both institutions and their faculties contributed immensely to making me the person I am, the musician I have become.I believe it is cruel if a child doesn’t have the experience and opportunity of being in a school. Single Teacher Schools is making this opportunity possible for more than 30,000 children. A small hand can give many more children this opportunity. It’s with this thought, that I started to support the organization. I was accidentally introduced to Single Teacher Schools, when I attended a music concert hosted by them to create awareness of their work. I went to hear the concert and came back doubly enriched, firstly with the music I heard at the concert and secondly the concept and laudable work of Single Teacher Schools. I was later invited to present my concert for them the following year. At the invitation of Ms. Akhila Srinivasan who is known for her phenomenal contribution to society, I decided to join hands to do my bit for raising awareness for their work.I feel that when I look back at my life, I could have done a lot more, and more constructively. I wish all of us to do our bit, even if it's a small one, to make life around us equal and happy.To support Single Teacher Schools, please click here. Bombay Jayashri Ramnath was born in Kolkata, West Bengal. Her parents were her first teachers and upon moving to Mumbai, she continued her artistic studies. Today, Jayashri is among the finest and most well-known voices in the Carnatic realm with a career spanning over thirty years. Her performances cross the breadth of India and close to twenty other countries. Prominent venues include Rashtrapathi Bhavan, the National Centre for Performing Arts, the Sydney Opera House, and Carnegie Hall, where she historically became the second ever Carnatic musician to perform after MS Subbulakshmi.