He is just 13 but has a marvelous talent in playing flute. Apart from Sanskrit, which is his mother tongue, he is fluent in four other languages—Hindi, English, Marathi and Kannada. Government is providing him scholarship since the last three years for polishing his flute talent. After completing tenth standard in modern education he intends to study traditional Indian knowledge—the Vedas and Shastras, and off course the flute. After doing all these, he wants to work for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). “I have no ambition to pursue career in music or in any other field. I have decided to dedicate my life for the Sangh work, society and the nation,” Chamu Shiva Shastry said while talking to Organiser in Delhi.
Son of Sanskrit scholars, Shri Chamu Krishna Shastry and Smt Sarita Shastry, Shiva received applause for his awe-inspiring flute talent from RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat and many other eminent personalities including Additional Director General of ‘Doordarshan’ Dr Mahesh Joshi, Chairman of ‘Sudarshan’ news channel Shri Suresh Chavanke at a function organised in Delhi on April 21. Noted flute player Shri Rajkishore Dalbehera formally accepted him as his disciple at the function organised by Neelanchal Trust, which is dedicated for encouraging and promoting the young talent in the field of music. The Trust, headed by Shri Rajkishore Dalbehera, makes arrangements for the new talent to get proper training. It also organises stage shows for them.
Shiva’s extraordinary talent helped him standing first in the National Talent Search Scholarship conducted by CCRT, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Shiva has also won second prize in an all India musical instruments competition conducted by Sangeet Sankalpa for young talents two years back.
According to Shiva’s father Shri Chamu Krishna Shastry, Shiva completed eighth standard from the Kendriya Vidyalaya. Now he is going to study the Vedas and Shastra at Rashtriya Samskrit Sansthan, Shringeri under Chicmangloor district of Karnataka. He will continue modern education till tenth standard, but will simultaneously study the Vedas, Shastras and music also for two years. After completing tenth standard he will join the traditional Samskrit Paathshala for the study of Indian traditional learning. When enquired about Shiva’s intention to work for the Sangh Shri Shastry said, “It is very much true. He intents to first complete his studies on Dharma Shastras and Nyaya Shastra and then serve the country. His intention is not to pursue career but to popularise the traditional knowledge of India through the Sangh.”
In his blessings, Sarsanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat said: “Blessings can only help; sadhana (work) has to be done by the sadhaka only. Since the sadhak is new and he has to go miles in the life, he needs guidance of a worthy guru, which Shiva has already received in the form of Shri Dalbeheraji. I bless Shiva on behalf of all of you to excel even more than his guru. Those who walk in the life with different aspirations positively go far. We hope his sadhna will benefit all.”
Born and brought up in a Sanskrit speaking family, Shiva has proved that studying Sanskrit creates no barrier in the life rather it opens the doors for plenty of options. Infact it is a root language. Chamu Shiva Shastry's mother and father are Sanskrit scholars. Shri Chamu Krishna Shastry is general secretary of Sanskrit Bharati and his mother Smt Sarita Shastry has translated may books into Sanskrit. She is also full timer of the Samskrit Bharati.
-Pramod Kumar
