25-year-old Shuwehtha Premkumar, who is a native of Seremban, comes from a family rooted in the classical Indian arts. Her youth had been spent immersed in the myriad and fascinating worlds of Indian classical art and aesthetics that, together with her formal upbringing, music had become something that nurtured her soul. Born to Mr.Premkumar and the renowned musician Mrs. Jayalakshmi, Shuwehtha had shown interest in the veena at the tender age of three.
The budding musician was raised in a home with supportive parents and a musical environment that encouraged her passion. The young star comes from a family of musical pioneers in Malaysia, so it is not a surprise that someone of her calibre would be perfected in a family such as hers. Her mother, Mrs. Jayalakshmi, a renowned veena, gadam, and vocalist, was the one who took responsibility for developing her daughter’s skill in the art of the veena. Since the age of three, Shuwehtha has shown an ardent attachment to the instrument. From then on, the passionate musician began practicing and perfecting her art for 6–8 hours a day. When she began schooling, Shuwehtha would awaken as early as 4 a.m. to cultivate and refine her skills.
Though she had been inspired by many artists on social media and on prestigious stages, it was ultimately her mother who had been the greatest influence and spark that led her on this beautiful path. Shuwehtha’s mother had relentlessly carved her talent for the arts; she would have her daughter work on a single note over a thousand times so it reached perfection. Shuwehtha’s father, on the other hand, would always be by her side, constantly giving her the moral and emotional support that she needed to never give up on materialising her potential. Other than her amazingly involved and devoted parents, Shuwehtha’s aunts, Mrs. Vijayalakshmi and Madam Rajalakshmi, had been a great pillar of encouragement for the young woman.
At such a young age, the prodigy Shuwehtha had received many awards and accolades both nationally and internationally, further exemplifying her astounding talent in the art of veena. She received her very first award in 2012, when she was awarded the Youth Excellence Award by Sivan Fine Arts Chennai for her exceptional skill in strumming the veena. In 2013, she received the prestigious gold medal in the veena solo category for the global council of performing arts and culture organised by ABSS from Pune, which was held in Singapore. This was also a historic win for her, for she was the first ever Veena artist to be awarded the accolade from ABSS Pune. Along with all of this, she has also received the awards Veenadhari (2014) from Andra Pradesh’s legendary veena artist, Chakravarthi Vidwan Shri D. Srinivas, Astro Vaanavil Viruthu (2016), and Yaazhisai Naayaki (2017) from the World Tamil Epics Research Association of Malaysia.
The Lok Kala Ratna 2023 award is especially important, for it is one of the most prestigious international awards in Indian classical music. Shuwehtha had been awarded this by Raaba Media and the Raaba Book of World Records for her outstanding and exceptional work in contribution, achievement, and social media presence in the performance of the Veena. The culmination of her musical career had convinced the establishment to grant her this international title of excellence in Chennai. Shuwehtha expresses great honour in not only receiving the award but also being able to receive the acknowledgement in the birth place of the Veena and Carnatic music. The experience was one that affirmed her talent and elated her soul very much.
Upon receiving my Lok Kala Ratna title award, I feel that this is the beginning of my career, and there is a long way to go with the support of my parents, family members, and God’s blessings.
– Shuwehtha Premkumar
The rising talent had expressed her outmost gratitude at receiving the prestigious international award, and that too in the city of Madras, which is helmed as the Cultural Capital of South India for Carnatic music. To receive the award from a prestigious place such as this, is one that only affirms her talent and dedication towards the arts. The award provides her with the fulfilment and validation she needs to continue her pursuit.
Shuwehtha hopes to inspire more young Malaysians to immerse themselves in the classical arts, for only with the relentless labour of the youth can this ancient art be carried on to future generations. She says with confidence that her journey in the world of music will continue as she plans to further equip herself in the art of jazz and Indian classical music so her talent can reach across borders and be embraced on an international scale. The ambitious young woman is on a bright and shining path that brings pride to both her and the nation as a whole, leading the way for more young talent to emerge from Malaysia and make a name for themselves in the world of music.
All Images Sourced from Shuwehtha Premkumar’s Facebook
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