10-year-old singer Swara Joshi talks about balancing studies and singing, and her plans for Gudi Padwa

For 10-year-old Swara Joshi, singing runs in her family. Her mother is a popular Marathi singer Ketaki Bhave-Joshi and her father, Abhijit Joshi, is also in the Marathi music industry. The little munchkin might not have taken home the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li'l Champs title but she won hearts with her voice and still remians popular.

The Free Press Journal caught up with the bubbly kiddo for a freewheeling conversation about her singing, studies, and the upcoming Maharashtrian New Year, Gudi Padwa.

Ask her what she likes to do on Gudi Padwa, pat comes the reply, “I like to dress up and look pretty. I have purchased a nice dress for this year’s Gudi Padwa and I can’t wait to wear it. I do Gudi puja with my parents.”

Excited to dress up a little prior to the festival for the photo shoot, she wears a paithani parkar-polka (Marathi version of ghagra-choli). The bright yellow suits her fair complexion. Two tiny braids of her curly hair turn the imp into a sober girl. “Can I put this flower in my head like this?” she asks enthusiastically holding up a yellow marigold from the flowers in the plate. “It’s matching!” She quickly gets into a mood after pestering her mother to redo her tikka as it is not the exact shape she wants.

Swara admits that she is a foodie and loves to eat. “I love aloo vadi… and mangoes.” Speaking in a hushed tone Swara adds, “But I like the food that my father cooks the most, even more than my mother’s cooking.”

“I also cook,” Swara says and adds, “I can make chapati-bhaji, Dalgona coffee, and a host of other dishes. Her favourite cuisine is Italian and likes pasta, and pizza, and wants to try the lasagna.

That’s not all, the naughty singer likes to shower people with flower petals on Gudi Padwa. Be it visitors or passers-by, Swara likes to spread the Gudi Padwa fervour all around her. And, you hear her mother chuckle in the background, and she adds, “Now, she’s distracted by the flowers that are on the table and can’t wait to play with it.”

Swara’s day generally starts around 8.30 am, but a little late when she has had a show the previous night. Her mother lets her sleep in till late. Before going to school, she does her daily riyaaz. After returning from school, Swara finishes her homework and does riyaaz before calling it a day.

Between studies and singing Swara prefers the latter. “I like to go to school but I don’t like studying. My favourite subjects are Music, English, Marathi, Environmental Studies, History, drawing and also sports,” she quips.

Currently, Swara is taking training from Pandit Prabhakar Karekar, apart from practising daily with her mother. “We don’t want to pressurise her. Right now we want her to enjoy singing. So, we are taking it slow and training her on her vocals,” her mother informs.

Before signing off, we ask Swara about her dreams and aspirations. “Apart from becoming a singer, I also want to do a food designing course. And, I want to buy a big home for my parents, Mercedes and Audi cars,” she exclaims, before signing off.