Sitar-on ki mehfil

Sameep Kulkarni happily does the balancing act between his IT job and his sitar

Sitar-on ki mehfil

Sameep Kulkarni happily does the balancing act between his IT job and his sitar

Very few people are able to pursue their passion while working in a full-time position.

Yet, Sameep Kulkarni has not only managed to maintain this tricky balance, but has also made a name for himself in the field of his passion music. A computer software engineer by profession, Kulkarni is also a gifted sitarist.

"I work during the day and spend the nights pursuing my passion for music," he said.

Going global
He started learning the tabla at the age of six and the sitar at the age of eight. He toured all over Maharashtra during his Std X and yet scored 87 per cent in the board exams. When Kulkarni's friend and noted flute player Milind Date, produced American singer Angeli's pop album Fantasy, he got Kulkarni to write a few tunes for it.
"I am excited as two of my songs from that album have been shortlisted for Hollywood films Twisted Fortune and Baby Baby," said Kulkarni.

Kulkarni also has his own fusion band called Saaz. He has contributed to the soundtrack of several albums and films with his sitar. Recently, he participated in 30 concerts in 30 days across 12 American states.

Fan speak
Pramod Joshi, a businessman and a music lover said about Kulkarni, "Vivek SabnisHe is a dedicated artist and each of his concerts is a musical treat." Added Amit Bagaitkar, manager of an IT company, "He has maintained a great balance between his work and his passion for music. He is the best in both. Sameep has inspired many of us to listen to Indian classical music."

Kulkarni has won 20 awards including The Challenging Sitarist by Ganvardhan Musical Organisation and Best Artist in IT by Computer Society of India's Pune chapter. Kulkarni said he is fortunate that his fianceu00e9 Rama, whom he will marry next month, loves music too.