On My Pinboard: Tejasvi Raghunath

A software engineer and flautist, Tejasvi Raghunath is a prominent artiste in Bengaluru. He started playing the flute at the age of 18 and began his stage performances from the age of 22. Tejasvi is known for soulful renditions, gamakas and his high voltage virtuosity. His ability to blend into various genres of music like Hindustani, jazz, Arabic and pop makes him a versatile flutist. His recent collaboration with A R Rahman and guitarist Sanjeev Thomas has been nominated for international awards like Independent Music Awards and VIMA awards. Sanjeev Thomas’s album ‘St.’, which featured Tejasvi, was among the best albums in the international magazine Rolling Stone. He is the recipient of the prestigious ‘Kalaavatamsa’ award instituted by Gokulam School of Music.

Musician

A R Rahman

“I grew up listening to A R Rahman. His music is soul-stirring and I like the fact that he dares to experiment, think out of the box and be different each time. His vision is timeless; the music he composed 10 years back is still trending and evergreen. ‘Tu Hi Re’ from the movie ‘Bombay’ is my all-time favourite. I also like the works of Hariharan and Uppalapu Srinivas. I mostly listen to Carnatic, Hindustani and jazz music.”

Travel destination

London

“I love travelling and go on trips as often as I can. I have been to the US, London, Singapore and Malaysia. London will always be that one place that I would like to revisit. It is the architectural charm of this city that attracts me. This place surprises me every time I am there. The London Bridge, the British Museum and the Natural History Museum are my go-to places there. I have also been to Scotland. It’s so serene and close to the nature. Edinburg is another favourite city of mine.”

Food

Masala Dosa

“I am a foodie and love anything that is well made and fresh. However, masala dosa is my comfort food and I can have it anytime. Freshly prepared vada and sambar in the morning is just bliss. On a lazy Sunday, I would like a plate of French toast and a cup of tea. Though a vegetarian, I have a preference for egg, especially egg biryani.”

Sports

Cricket

“Sports have played an important role in my life, especially, during my growing up years. I used to play cricket a lot when I was in school. It is a wonderful thing to include in one’s life; I feel it is almost spiritual. I also like watching tennis. Sachin Tendulkar and Roger Federer are my all-time sportspersons.”

Movie

Shutter Island

“Psychological thrillers like ‘Shutter Island’ by Christopher Nolan are movies I can keep watching over and over again. ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ and ‘Inception’ are other movies I enjoy watching. Apart from that, comedy and romcom are my preferred genres.”

Inspiration

H S Venugopal

My gurus, H S Venugopal and Shashank Subramanyam have always been my biggest inspiration. I actually get inspired by anyone who works hard for success because it is all about working hard and doing the right thing; to see someone being level-headed when they have achieved success is really inspiring."