By Shubh Saran

My time at Music Basti, working for and with its team has been the most rewarding experience in my life.

I was allowed to explore a whole new avenue of opportunities for what I’m most passionate about – music. The amount of trust Music Basti put into me and the quality of work the project allowed me to do is something I will never find elsewhere. Because of the organization and the work it does everyday, it not only helped the children, but also helped people like me to really see that what we (musicians) do doesn’t have to be as selfish as it seems. I now know that there’s more to studying or being a musician than meets the eye (or rather the ear). It’s about the effect it has on people, and being able to see the raw effect of music on these children makes me want to keep trying to help people (children especially) through such a medium.

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I now know that there’s more to studying or being a musician than meets the eye (or rather the ear).

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I’ve really grown up this summer and I’ve really started to love Delhi – it finally feels like home, and I owe it all to Music Basti and its team. Over and above being such amazing people to work with, it has given me the kindest friends anyone could ask for. They showed me a side to Delhi and India that I always wished existed, and now that I know it does because of these people, I have a lot of faith (hehe!) in the future. I truly feel honored to know such insanely intelligent, inspiring, and driven people. They made me want to be a better musician and a better person.

Four months ago, I emailed Faith not knowing what to expect, but I’m glad I did. It’s strange how one email basically changed my life. I’ll be going back to Boston knowing a lot about why I’m doing what I’m doing, a little bit more about myself, and most importantly – knowing I’ve made some really great friends.

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They showed me a side to Delhi and India that I always wished existed, and now that I know it does.

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Once again, thank you so so much for everything. Whenever I’m back (or even while in Boston), I’d be honored to help out again.

Photo (right): Shiv Ahuja

Shubh is a student at Berklee College of Music, Boston, USA. He is a guitarist, composer, and music producer currently enrolled for a Bachelor of Music degree with a double major in Guitar Performance and Music Production at the Berklee College of Music, Boston, USA. He has performed with various ensembles at prestigious venues in USA and Canada including the Harvard Square Acoustic Festival, Isabel Bader Theatre, Horseshoe Tavern, Cat’s Eye, and Brassaii. He has also been interviewed by various Indian and Canadian television news channels. Shubh specialises in funk, blues, and Indian fusion music. He has a unique style of playing that uses percussive and slap guitar techniques. He is 20 years old.