CREATING A CLASSICAL CULTURE

joined UT Delhi to complete a degree in Textile Technology where he befriended many professors who supported his association with music. He we n t on to learn techniques and in tricacies of the sitar from renowned Indian radio a rtist A nil Dhar, and he also did a stint ac the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in Delhi.

Service to the arts through classical Indian music

this honour, Radhey Shyam described his musical journey that has resulred in an immense contribution co the propagacion of Hindustani classical music in Australia.

His career in textile engin eering took him to various p laces around tbe cotmtry and abroad, but he continued co nurmre his musical purs uits. In 1991, Ratlhey Sh}7am migrated with his young family co A u stralia. His wo rk took him co Albury and Geeloog, but he held musica l events in his spare time, which were weU received by the local communities there.

in sitar, vocals and harmonium lo a Jocal school", recounted Rad.hey Shyarn, sharing his iospirarional story.

According to Radhey S hyam, music can be cli,;cled into three distinct categories: "There is pop dance music that affects t h e body, light music (includingghazal.r) that pleases cbe heart, and classical music that is designed for the soul", he said.

Alifetime's iuvo l vemeat in music for Melbourne's Radbey Shyam Gupta has been recognised with the Orde.r of Australia medal for serviee to the arts through classical lndiau music.

Delighted and 'humb led" by

Born lo Agra, India, Radhey Shyam bas been involved with music from the age of six After winning several crophie.s and accolades for bis musical talent during h is scbool days, Radhey Shyam achieved the S,mgcet Visharad (graduation in music) from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in Mumbai in 1966 lo J 971, the young musician

Around 1997, textile became a fading .industry in Australia and jobs were hard to come by, so R adbey Shyam decided to join RMlT co do a Diploma and then Masters in IT. AJong with a new career path in IT, Radhey Shyam also started teaching music to a smrul gro Ltp of people. The same year saw the birth of the nor-for-profit organisarion Sharda Kala Kendra.

"During those days there were no institutions that taught Indian culture, music, arts and langaage inMelboutne. With the help of like-minded music lovers and supportive friends 1 started classes

"My life is dedicated to promoting music. l believe sangeet L~ a way to attain spirimality and a pathway towards Nirvana", he said with characteristic gentleness Radhey Shyan1's reverence towards his art is reflected in the numerous perform ances in which he has been involved within Australia and India. He was insrnunental in starting the popular SotigeetStmdftya that has, for 17 successful years, been prqviding a free forum for amateurs and profess ionals to clisplay their musical talent. The Stmgeet Sandffya has since branched out to also offer Sahi(Ya Sq11df!)1a Qiteramre and poetry), Roag Rung (pure classical Hindustani music) and S1rnr S,1r1df?ya (lmta.o ke-based sloging).

In January 2013, Radhey Shyam was also awarded the Multicultural Award for Excellence by the Victorian Government for excellence in service delivery ro the community through arts He i s currently involved in spreading musical education to tl1e whole world at no cost, through his website www sharda org. Thousands of students around the world have access to printable notations and video l essons of d1e sitar, DVDs of vocals, sita,; hhqj011s a11d gh,,zals through this website. Radhey Shyan1 has been spending considerable rime and effort in recording hundreds of videos where he teaches various musical in struments, making it easier for beginners to have a thorough LLO derstaodiug of Indian music and musical instruments. Steeped in classicism and yet willing m exp lore the new witl10uc compromising on tradition, Rad.hey Shyatn bas illumined the local scene of music for decades. He is supported by his wife Anita and daughters Kokil and Vidusbi, who are 'absolutely tl1rilled' with their dad's achievements. macro, m ultidisciplinary level. T hey drive eve ry ecological system th at su stains us"

Awards in the Au.~tralian honours system represent the hig he st level of recognition accorded by A u stralia for ourstanding achievement and service These honours recognise communiry values and celebrate what is important and unifying in Austral ian life. Radher Shyam epitomises tl1is sentiment towards tl1e community as he continues bis efforts to promote Indian music and culture.

The CSIRO in Australia offered him this o ppormo.ity He ended up building a giant team lhac o rgai:uses forest p rograms across di e co untry, in research centres fro m Atherron to Tas mania, as weU as .in government- fonded a.id programs in d evelop ing coun tries And it is co d1is team, that he credits aU his success. " I've myself made no greaL discovery," he says with hun1ility. "It's been my division more tl1an me"

"Perhaps our mosL signilicant contribution has been in providingthe most comprehensive understat1ding of how Australian forests work, especially in the high-stress circumstances created by drought, fire ai1d p estilence ," he r eveals

Aoo m er achievement D r Narnbiar can look back o n wi th satisfaction, is his work wim building m an- mad e forests

Aus tralia's rm tlcin:ullio n doUar wood -based in d ustry is n ow reliant on th e m assive plan tations (eucalyptus, pine) mat are p roviding high quality wood in an efficient as well as sustainable manner.

"l t's a 40 to 50 year cycle, and we're constantly monitoring me effect on ecology, sud, as soil and water healc.11 at1d biodiversity, as well as on rural economy," Dr Nambiar explains "It's a great success story and I've been arguing in recent years tha t lndia could be doing m is too. \Xlood is the greenest, recyclable, reusable, carbon- neurral product of all bnilcli n g m aterials. Wood -based p rod ucts are responsi ble for only a fractio n o f car b o n emission as com p ared to co ncrete. The more wood we u se in buil ding, th e more carbon. we will be lo cking up over a lo nger ti.me"

T he deman d for wood is only set co increase, D r Nambiar n otes "Estimates are, that b y 2020, co ns rnuptio n will be four rimes mar of production. There is a direct linear relationship between economic growili and use of wood -based products. The more prosperous people get, tl1e more wood iliey want in me.it homesberrer futn.iture, wood panels, even g lossy magazjnesl"

Dr Nambiar's work has also seen him become a legitimate somce of independem advice fo r iorerested parties, particularly me Australian governm ent. His te am h as been helping the government des ign scie nce-based p olicy o n issues such as bioclivecsiry

The India-born sci entis t has a Jo ng list o f award s to h is nam e His caree r is pepp ered wi c.11 honours by the Institu te of Foresters of A us tralia (IFA) , t he Commonwealth Fo restry Association (CFA) a nd fro m t he International Union of Forest Reseatch Organisations (IUFRO), as well as those bestowed by oilier countries such as J\mecica and V iemam.

"1fost be my Bollywood good looks", he laughs. "Bur seriously, t he recognition has nm been fo r me alone. In work of mis n.arure, there is an army of thinking peop le behind you l see l11)' seJf as the conductor of an orchestra rather man an expert piatli.st''

\X'hat's in d1e fumre for me multi -award win nin g scien tis t?

"

There's so much mo re work to be done! Sustainabili ty is a jo urney, it's not a desti na tio n Wim co n tinuous clim ate change, we have to co nstantly d esign at1d model and apply I've been mentoring younger scientists o n the issue You know, sustain ability is like a relay race You run your lap and then pass ilie baton on".

Dt ambiar has c.ldin.itely done well on his leg of d1e race. Yet he'll ceU you ir was because he grabbed the opportunities d:us countr)' offered h im, at1d worked hard to prove h imself.

"I say to new migrants, Australia is the fairest place in the world. JL accepts you for the contenL of yonr W'ork, not for the way you look"