Velamuri Sesha Ratnam Music School

She has been honored with the title of Sangeetha Jyoti and Violina Vidvanmani, she has given more than 500 performances in almost all the districts of Andhra Pradesh, she can play the violin, veena, casio and guitar, she has about 30-40 students currently, and she is 75 years old.

Living in a tiny, old house in Mehdipatnam, Velamuri Sesha Ratnam has lived a long, glorious, gratifying life. She studied music at a very young age under Guru Nanduri Simhendra Apalacharulu, an eminent musician of those times. She started her musical career with her first performance when she was 19. And her ardor for the 7 swaras has not ceased ever since.

Her husband, Velamuri Sreerama Murthy, a retired Deputy Educational Officer and an octogenarian, has encouraged her undeterringly, through their years together. While he is not giving pleasant company to their visitors, he spends his time aiding various temple renovations and constructions.

Sesha Ratnam's students age from 3 years to 65 years, and they all pay a meagre gurudakshina of Rs. 100 per month. From sunset to sundown, music floats through their entire house, and soothes and satisfies all those who saunter in. They insist that this is no institution, and that anybody who steps in will be welcomed into their musical community.

For the lady, age seems to be only skin deep, for she still performs in temples, and gives Carnatic vocal and music classes, devotional music classes to people from 25 years to 60 years of age, and accompaniment on the violin to various Harikatha performances. And all the while radiates a child-like innocence and unquestionable humility.

Tucked away in a tiny corner of Hyderabad, this lady has made a difference into inestimable lives by munificently spreading her gift of melody.