I am Vismay.  Vismay means wonder.  I do not know what wonder my parents have seen in me.  But lately, I started believing that they are not wrong, as things are turning in that direction.

Last week my father received a phone call from Mumbai informing that I have been selected for an All India Competition.   Oh!  I have’nt told you what competition I am participating.

It all started four years ago.  One day a close friend of my father came to our house from Chennai.  He was Padmashri Kalyanasundar, a renowned Violin Maestro.   While talking, my father mentioned Sundermama (as I used to call him) that I was good at music.  He called me to his side and blessed me heartily and advised me to
    
Vismay
join violin class.  It was a turning point in my life.  I started my lessons with an old violin.

After four years, I could give my first stage performance at Pune.  I am still continuing my violin class paying monthly fees of Rs. 450/- apart from incurring travelling expenses.  Recently a State Level Violin Competition was held in Pune for children below 10 years.  I had participated in it.  The telephone call from Mumbai was to inform the result and invite me for an All India Level Violin Competition to be held at Shanmukhananda Hall, Mumbai.    

If I win the competition, I will be performing at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi in front of the President, Prime Minister and other great people.  I sincerely wish that if I get this Scholarship sponsored by Baxter, I can buy a new violin for the performance and pursue my higher studies at a music academy.

Now let me dedicate more and more time to practice violin so that I can fly higher and higher to reach the sky.

Vismay Vinodkumar Menon
Chinchwad, Pune, Maharashtra