Bijnor :

When he is not sorting out mail, Arun Sankhyadhar is crooning and winning awards. An accomplished singer, the postmaster of Bijnor has won as many as 15 gold medals for his singing talent.

What started as a hobby has made him a regular feature on Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR). Sankhyadhar attributes the secret of his success to daily riyaz (practice).

He also did the state proud at the All India Cultural Competition held in Dehradun in November last year, which saw participation from more than 350 people, by winning three medals — one gold and two silvers. He had also won a silver medal during the All India Cultural Competition held in Guwahati in 2014.

Sankhyadhar’s talent has become a source of pride for the postal department. He has been making TV and radio appearances for the last 25 years. AIR listeners often wake up to the sound of Sankhyadhar singing devotional songs.

Speaking to TOI, Sankhyadhar said, “Ever since I was a child, music has been an important part of my life. It started as a hobby but it was my idol Anup Jalota who inspired me to take up singing seriously. His devotional songs were my inspiration.”

Sharing the secret of his success, he said, “I follow a very strict regime of riyaz. I may have a very busy day, but I always ensure to practice for two-three hours daily. I never miss a single day of practice.”

He further added, “I’ve participated in the All India Postal Cultural Meet over the last few years in different parts of the country such as Maharasthra, West Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala and Uttarakhand. I have visited over a dozen states for singing competitions.”

Stating that singing runs in the family, he said, “My son Kartikay and wife Vandana are remarkable singers and have won several state-level competitions. Our entire family is connected through music. It is music that binds us.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Meerut / by Harveer Dabas / TNN / February 09th, 2016