Deeksha - An accomplished Saxophone player and a Student Leader

Report By: By Dr. Eugene D’Souza, Moodubelle
Media By: Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 06 July 2010: She has all qualities to become a great personality. She is an expert in playing Saxophone, a good student and has leadership qualities. This young girl, Deeksha, presently the Second Year Arts student of  St. Lawrence Composite PU College, Moodubelle has come a long way and still has to travel further in her journey of education and music and achieve greater heights of success. With Music running in the family, performances in various places and many awards and honours including the ‘Rajyotsva Prashasthi’, Deeksha has a bright future.

Deeksha was born on 28th January 1994 as the second child among three children of Raghava and Mohini Serigar. She was born in Mangalore, her mother’s place. Her elder sister is Charitha and younger brother is Nithin. Deeksha’s father Raghava has been an expert player of ‘Naadhaswara’ and Saxophone, the art which was picked up by Deeksha and her younger brother Nithin, while her elder sister Charitha has been trained in playing violin.

The Serigars reside at Alevooru. Deeksha had her early education of first and second standard in the nearby Karwal School. Later, she continued her higher primary education up to seventh standard in Subhodhini Higher Primary School at Alevooru. Deeksha went to Nehru High School, Alevooru where she passed the SSLC examination with good marks and joined St. Lawrence Composite PU College, Moodubelle for PUC studies. Presently, Deeksha is in the Second Year PUC Arts class.

Deeksha says that she had received encouragement in music while she was studying in the higher primary and high schools in Alevooru. However, she feels that while in the PU College in Moodubelle she has been getting greater encouragement and opportunities in various fields to develop her talents. Presently, Deeksha is the College Pupil Leader (CPL) of St. Lawrence Composite PU College.

As Deeksha’s father, Raghava has been an expert Saxophone player, she developed an interest in this musical instrument right from a very young age.  When she was studying in the fourth standard, Deeksha learnt how to play Saxophone and began to give performance with her father and elder sister while she was in the fifth standard. Her first teacher who taught her playing Saxophone was Alevooru Sundar Serigar. Her present teacher is K.U. Raghavendra Rao, a resident of Udupi who is a lecturer in the Vijaya College, Mulki and also flute player in the Akashwani, Mangalore. Deeksha has great reverence to her ‘Guru’ Raghavendra Rao who taught her how to play Keerthans and other tunes on the Saxophone.

Deeksha credits her interest and expertise in playing Saxophone to her parents, Raghava and Mohini Serigar. Raghava, being himself an expert Naadhaswara and Saxophone player encouraged all three of his children to take interest in music and took all efforts to get good music teachers for them.

The entire family has been giving musical performances in different parts of Karnataka and even outside the state. So far Deeksha has accompanied her father, sister and brother in giving music performances in places such as Udupi, Mangalore, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hassan, Karkala, Moodbidri, Kundapura, Gokarna, and also at various temples at Alevooru, Muchakodu, Kalatturu, Muniyaru, Uchchila and many other places and temples.

Noticing the proficiency of Deeksha in playing the Saxophone and her contribution to the music, she was awarded the ‘Rajyotsva Prashasthi’ by the Karnataka Government in 2009. She also participated in the music concert in the Shri Krishna Temple, Udupi during this year’s ‘Paryaya’ in January and was awarded ‘Shri Krishnaugraha Prashasthi’ by the Swamiji of the Adamaru Mutt. Deeksha received the honour of being conferred the title of ‘Naadha Vaibhava’ following her Saxophone performance at Ramulu Sannidhi temple at Bangalore.

Besides being an accomplished Saxophone player, Deeksha has been a studious and regular student. She has been quite popular with her PU College mates. She also manifested her leadership qualities when she contested for the post of College Pupil Leader (CPL). In the election that took place on 19th June 2010 in the college for the student leaders, Deeksha was chosen as the CPL by an overwhelming number of students. She polled 204 votes, while her rival got only 112 votes. Incidentally, Deeksha was not present in the college when the elections were held. She had gone to Bangalore with her father to give saxophone performance. Presently, Deeksha is the ‘Prime Minister’ of the students’ ‘Council of Ministers’ in St. Lawrence PU College.

Fr. Paul Sequeira, Principal of St. Lawrence Composite PU College, Moodubelle is proud of Deeksha’s achievements as an accomplished Saxophone player and as a student. He says that Deeksha is a disciplined and hardworking student and has leadership qualities. She has blended her music and studies in a harmonious manner so that she has neglected neither studies nor music. She has great potential to become one of the topmost Saxophone players not only in Karnataka but the whole of India.

Bellevision wishes success to Deeksha in her studies and as a Saxophone player.