Lucknow boy, Vyom Ahuja has received the Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puruskar, which is reportedly his 35th consecutive National Award. Studying in class 7, this 11-year-old plays about nine musical instruments, including flute, drums, mouth organ, conch, synthesizer, doumbek, glockenspiel, tabla and guitar. So far, this young boy has given 300 stage performances using various musical instruments and holds 28 records in the field of music in the India Book of Records.
The fusion beats of a child prodigy
Vyom Ahuja from the city of Lucknow is India’s own musical prodigy, who will be honoured by the title of Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puruskar this year. He started mastering his skills on the flute from the tender age of two years and inscribed his first record when he was only two years and two months old. “I do fluteboxing, which is an extended technique of flute where one plays a fusion of beatboxing with flute,” Vyom said.
Besides music, Vyom has received about 34 records in the scapes of music, general knowledge and memory skills, and has been conferred his 35th honour for excellence in the field of art and culture for the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puruskar. In a video call on Monday, he was addressed by the Prime Minister, along with the other awardees. Though Vyom did not get the opportunity to directly interact with the Prime Minister, he was inspired by his words.
“I will always remember the Prime Minister’s advice that one should be humble and strive hard to achieve the best despite getting highest accolades,” he said. Making the city and its people proud, Vyom, who does not hail from a musical family but a business one in Lucknow, has set the standard of talent and skill here. His practice signifies Lucknow’s representation as a centre of art, music, culture and novelty all across the nation.
