Why I teach?

Teaching, for me, is not just about instructing - it is about creating new students, new practitioners, and new curious explorers of the art. It is about sharing what I have discovered so that the next generation doesn’t have to start from scratch.

I have often observed that many artists, musicians, and creators - though immensely gifted and deeply obsessed with their art - struggle to share it. They are brilliant practitioners and breathtaking performers, but when asked to articulate their process, they hesitate! This is particularly visible among musicians: while on stage they enter a zone of pure creativity, when asked to explain their craft, many lack the skills to organize, simplify, and communicate what they do so naturally.

Historically, this reluctance to share is not new. In earlier times, music was rarely written down because practitioners feared their art would be “stolen.” As a result, vast traditions and compositions of Indian classical music were lost. Dhrupad music is one such example, and the same danger looms over many other art forms.

This is one of the reasons I began teaching early in my journey. One of my greatest inspirations has been Jiddu Krishnamurti. His ability to question, organize, and simplify even the most complex concepts has deeply influenced me. I strive to bring the same clarity to music: first to understand it myself, and then to make it accessible to others.

I also believe in sharing everything I know. Many musicians hold back, fearing that “revealing their secrets” will strip away the mystery. But this withholding is precisely why our art remains under-documented. Instead, I see teaching and documenting as acts of preservation. Every class I teach is recorded, archived, and shared with my students. I intend to keep this knowledge open source, so future generations have a reliable reference point.

My dream is to build a community of practitioners - artists who are not only exceptional at their craft but also willing to document and share the inner workings of their art. I would be glad to support any musician in setting up archival systems, free of cost. Someday, I hope we will have a structured, accessible archive of Indian classical music that will guide learners for centuries to come.

Western classical music gives us a powerful lesson here. The compositions of Bach, Beethoven, and Chopin are still performed worldwide because they were documented meticulously. Indian classical music is rooted in improvisation, but that should not prevent us from preserving its principles. In fact, students need these documented improvisations to understand how to navigate the complexity of a raga.

Some disciplines, like tabla and vocal music, have benefitted from standardized methods of teaching and archiving. Institutions like Gandharva Mahavidyalaya have created frameworks for learning vocal music. But in the world of classical flute, such systems are rare. I feel it is our responsibility to change that.

With each passing day as I teach and learn, my purpose becomes clearer: to discover better ways of sharing music, to preserve its beauty, and to empower more students and practitioners of the flute.

This is my journey. If you are a musician who shares this vision and wishes to document your own art form, I would love to connect with you. Together, we can ensure that the music of today lives on for generations tomorrow!