Saratogans Anil Gupta and daughter Tanya have just released their second album of Indian music.
Family duo sings for a good cause
Dad and daughter release their second album
By Shari Kaplan
In the midst of the growing fame they're enjoying as recording artists, father/daughter singing duo Anil and Tanya Gupta of Saratoga have not forgotten the cause for which they are singing.
Like their first cassette album, 1996's Reflections, proceeds from their new album, a CD called Forever, are dedicated to raising funds for Asha, a United States-based nonprofit organization that promotes literacy and education among the underprivileged in India.
"Our first production was sold out to grandpa, grandma, other relatives and friends. This time we have enough for everybody!" says 9-year-old Shireen Gupta, the enthusiastic unofficial "producer" of her family's recordings. She hints that while her father and 11-year-old sister are both "awesome," the time it took one of them to record was similar to the album's name.
An Argonaut Elementary School student, Shireen--for whom the Guptas named their recording company--flexes her creative muscles designing websites, making crafts and planning parties as well as helping her father and sister. Shireen also plays the piano, as does her sister.
Tanya, a Redwood Middle School student, keeps busy learning classical Indian vocal music from local instructor Shumita Chakraborty. She's performed in school variety shows at Argonaut and now Redwood, and joins Anil in singing at parties, Asha fundraisers and Indian music performances.
"I used to get nervous, but I don't anymore, so it's fun for me now," Tanya says, smiling. "I like both Indian and American music, but I think American is better because it's easier to sing and I understand the words."
Tanya's love for music goes far back, her father recalls. "We saw her interest at a very early age. When she first started singing, she couldn't even read, but she was able to remember the words," Anil says.
Although he doesn't study voice or music, he has improved upon the skills he always had by listening and practicing. "My passion for music is extreme," adds Anil, who says he finds music a great source of emotional wealth and relaxation.
Anil, his wife, Smeeta, and the girls traveled to India in December 1998, where Forever was recorded in a Bombay studio. It was then mastered and packaged in California. The lyrics were written in Hindi by Qausur-Ul-Jafri and Asir Burhanpuri. The melodies are originals by Deepak Pandit, a Hollywood-based composer and arranger. Pandit also plays violin with maestro Jagit Singh, well-known in the ghazal music scene.
Ghazal is in the middle spectrum of expressive Indian classical music, in which lyrics and melody carry equal weight.
"I've known the family for many years as fans of my music," says Singh, who advised the Guptas in their endeavor. "It was my pleasure to help this charitable effort. Now I am their fan."
Asha, whose name means "the hope," sees education and literacy as prerequisites to bringing about socio-economic change in India. To that end, volunteers in chapters throughout the U.S. engage in fundraisers and in so doing promote Indian culture.
For more information, call 255-3325, or visit www.meeta.com/shireen/ on the Internet.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
