Interview by Shifa Agha

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Interview by Shifa Agha

Bs-Part III       

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Rocky Samuel the student of M.Phil. in the field of Zoology, but his identity does not reflect his complete personality. He has a much more rich background of classical music family. His ancestors belong to Gawaliar family of classical music.

Question: Though you belong to a very famous classical family, why you chose to do M.Phil. or PhD in Zoology instead PhD in music or other subject of Fine Arts like performing art?

Rocky: I chose Zoology because since my childhood I felt immense love for animals. Right now I’m doing M.Phil. under the supervision of Prof. Dr. TahiraChandio (Chairperson Zoology) and co-supervision of Sir Bikha Ram (Vice Chancellor LUMHS). My research topic is ‘Diabetes Foot’. I’m planning to do PhD. I’m also interested in doing PhD in music from Pakistan, because Pakistan is the country with the best classical music.

Question: As you said you are very much interested in doing PhD in music, have you got basic education in music?

Rocky: I am a Tabla player, I have received proper education of tabla playing. I have won ‘All Pakistan challenge’, thrice, held in Faisalabad, Peshawar and Quetta, where I represented ‘University Of Sindh’.

Question: Yes[A1] ! Tabla is a good and important musical instrument, so from which ustaad you learnt the art of tabla playing?

Rocky: I received my basic education from my uncle ‘UstaadAslam’, then I became “Ganda-bandh” student of ‘UstaadHarishchander’.

Question: You mentioned that you learnt the basics of tabla playing from your uncle, so from where and when exactlythis tradition of music started in your family?

Rocky: When my family migrated to Pakistan, our ancestry roots cut off from India, so I don’t know much about ‘when and where exactly’ but my grandmother once told me that our ancestors belonged to Gawaliar originally from Jalandhar, India, and from there my grandfather got his musical education.

Question: May I know the famous names related to music from your family?

Rocky: My father ‘Ustaad Samuel Veero’is a well-known Pakistani classical musician. He is a student of ‘Ustaad Baba Malang Shah’.

Question: What is the speciality of Gawaliar family in classical music?

Rocky: We belong to Punjab Gawaliar family which is the oldest and the biggest tablafamily. Our tabla playing is famous for its pace, all around the world.

Question: What is the mindset of Pakistani’s regarding music and what are the hurdles that you have faced to follow your passion for music?

Rocky: Pakistani’s don’t really prefer music as a career and I have faced a lot of criticism, that I can’t handle music and education together, but I’m a bonafide student of my departmentin fact, I secured 3.9 CGPA in MSc.

Question: In your opinionwhat has become the future of classical music?

Rocky: In my opinion, classical music is natural and is a basic field. It will always be there. One who has to understand music, will have to learn it.

Question: What is your dream?

Rocky: My mother is an educationist and Zoology is her dream, music is my father’s dream and I am taking both along. I wish to earn name in both.

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