Udan-e-sur, a first-of-its-kind music competition for visually impaired youth in Hyderabad

Assistant professor Jyothsna Phanija and teacher Reddappa Chari, along with students Laukika Lahari Pichari, Naga Chaitanya Desagiri, Naveen Bandari and Swaroopa Patti from Netra Vidyalaya School and College for the Blind, are among those set to participate in Udan-e-Sur — a first-of-its-kind singing talent hunt for youth with visual impairment.

To be held in Hyderabad this weekend, the event is organised by city-based Youth4Jobs, an NGO that trains and employs youth with disabilities, in association with Wind Horse Records Studio (WHRS). It features nine participants across the spectrum of low vision to visual impairment, largely from Telangana and Hyderabad.

Meera Shenoy
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Meera Shenoy, founder of Youth4Jobs, recalls often seeing a blind band perform along the Film Nagar stretch. “They even had a small plate in front of them for money. It looked like begging, even though they were singing. I kept wondering if we could do something for them.”

She was inspired by the impact of the NGO’s six-year-old initiative, Not Just Art, which focuses on empowering persons with disabilities through the arts. While the organisation primarily works on livelihoods — training youth for jobs or entrepreneurship — Meera admits creative talent is often overlooked. “I truly feel an individual becomes whole only when you nurture their creativity,” she says. “This is a small attempt to help them own and showcase their talent, something society often doesn’t see, so that it can, perhaps, become a profession someday.”

A chance meeting with DJ and WHRS founder Hamza Rahimtula brought the collaboration together, though Meera says she moved ahead with the idea only after researching neuroplasticity.

Participants at the talent hunt
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

“People often say when one sense is lost, another is heightened, but there’s more to it,” she explains. “In those born blind, the brain repurposes itself. Without visual input, it sharpens other senses like hearing and touch. Of course, they still need to practise, but their predisposition to music can be stronger.”

Reddappa Chari
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

With outreach across social media and campuses for the visually impaired, around 45 individuals applied, of whom nine were shortlisted. “The response was encouraging. We had queries from other states as well, but we’re starting with Telangana. If this works, we’ll take it further.”

Special chief secretary Jayesh Ranjan will be the chief guest, with Hindustani classical vocalist Harini Rao, music director Karthik Kodakandla, and healthcare leader and singer Mahesh Joshi on the jury.

The grand finale of Udane-e-sur will be held at Ashiana conference hall, road no.1 Banjara Hills on April 4 from 4 pm onwards