whoa! this is some seriously amazing article man...superbly thought through and very very well written. Precisely the kind that should get published.
try your hand at it.. Remixes I Originals I Opinions at http://www.wiredbeats.com ________________________________ From: uday kiran <uda...@gmail.com> To: arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tue, 2 February, 2010 4:17:48 PM Subject: Re: [arr] An inspiring story of A R Rahman Just an awesome article, thanks a lot Vithur bro! On 2 February 2010 13:17, Vithur <vith...@gmail. com> wrote: >Success thro’ Excellence >An inspiring story of A R Rahman > >http://shamimrafeek .blogspot. com/2009/ 03/ar-rahman- inspiring- story-of- >success.html > >Few weeks back I wrote an article on M.S Dhoni and the lessons from his unique >leadership style. We have another role model who has mastered excellence in >his profession and brought the whole world under his feet - The Music Legend - >A.R Rahman. >Is there any thing common in these two youth icons of our country ? >Yes,commitment to excellence is their DNA. Winning is their habit and they >always perform at ' WOW '! Aiming for perfection and winning the competitive >edge are the things for what they crave constantly and add them to their >attitude. The next thing is performance. During any moment of the day, their >performance is EXCELLENCE. Performance is their language and they understand >the language of result only. >If you pick up any newspaper or see the web or watch the news these days, >chances are that you will find an interview of A.R.Rahman. He is all over the >place after his OSCAR achievement and he really deserves it! All of us have >been seeing videos of his arrival back to India and his press conferences with >excitement. >Today, A.R. Rahman is one of the world's most successful musicians. With a >brand name like Rahman, movies rake in millions. But it isn't just Rahman's >exceptional enthusiasm that's so contagious, but also the quality and success >of the work he's churning out. The man has redefined contemporary Indian music >and has become an icon for millions all over the world. >Like everyone, I have known him and his music right from the time 'Roja' was >released in 1992.. that's a good 17 years! Everyone speaks of his music, and >what he eats, sleeps, drinks and what he does when he is free and so on so >forth. But really, there are things much beyond that one needs to know and >learn from the legend that A.R.Rahman is. With so many people who speak so >high of him at all times, there are some things that are unsaid and certain >things that we so easily ignore about Rahman, that makes him stand apart from >the clutter. >The musical genius that Rahman is, most of that comes from his being and >principles. Rahman's success presents some valuable tips to us which can be >applied to our professional lives and achieve our goals. And on that note, >with the little that I know of him, let me share some of the learnings from >A.R.Rahman. >1. Family - Respect your Parents >It might be very easy to brush this fact aside, but the truth is Rahman has >always loved, respected and adored his parents. With his father R.K.Shekar >leaving for heavenly abode when Rahman was nine years old, Rahman's mother >Kareema Begum, gave Rahman a new ray of hope and fresh lease of life. She >painfully raised the family, and is one of the driving factors of why Rahman >is a legend today. >Remember what he said when he received his first OSCAR award, " Mere paas ma >hai, which means I have nothing but I have a mother, so mother's here, her >blessings are there with me. I'm grateful for her to have come all the way ". >Which other music composer or for that matter which other media/entertainment >/corporate personality do we know who follows this principle. How many of us >will openly show our love and respect to our parents like him. That makes him >truly unique. >2. Belief - Be Spiritually inclined >A.R.Rahman believes in god and spiritualism. Its not about the fact that he >follows Islam, and offers prayers 5 times a day…its much more than that. I >believe there is a huge difference between being religious and being >spiritual, of which the latter is what Rahman is made of. In a recent >interview Rahman revealed that, "Religion sounds vulgar these days, I am more >of a spiritual person. And I believe in being consistent with my spirituality. >As one grows in life, one realizes the magnitude of spirituality. It is the >most beautiful passion. It raises you above all the negativities. For me and >my music, spirituality is the most important element and I don't think I can >create the kind of music I do, if I don't practice spirituality." >Spirituality has not only made him connect to his music, but has also made him >connect to humanity. When he received his second OSCAR, he said " all my life >I had a choice of hate and love and I chose love and I am here, god bless " . >That's the powerful message of his spirituality! >3. Country First - Be Patriotic >Though Rahman acknowledges his accomplishment, after receiving OSCARS he >quickly points out that this is a COLLECTIVE INDIAN VICTORY. He says, he is >more happy because this is the first OSCAR for an Indian work and the whole >country was waiting for this with bated breath and hence he wanted to get it. >He says, now all Indian artists will be looked upon with more respect as we >have shown what we are capable of. His patriotism is evident in all his >patriotic songs including the latest " Jai Ho ". The way he sings ' vande >mataram ' injects some kind of positive energy into our blood stream ! >4. Roots - Don't leave your Soul >Mumbai the mecca of Indian films and the entertainment industry, a place where >any and every musician will find a way out to survive and earn enough to feed >him for the day. It would have been so easy for a musician like Rahman to go >and settle in Mumbai and work for acclaimed filmmakers post " Roja and Bombay >". But the man preferred not leaving his home, his roots to a place where >instant fame, recognition and money was assured. Of the many ignored facts, >Rahman's major success lies in working from his home. Home is where your >heart, mind, body and soul is. >With no distraction whatsoever, he has all his energies focused on doing >quality work from the comfort of his home. It means a lot to be based out of >the place where your family is, where your soul is..your home, your hometown. >5. Focus - Let your work speak for itself >Yes, let your work speak for itself. Many a times, there are instances where >one will be criticized for the way he is, his dressing, his upbringing, his >economic background. One will be made fun off, and will be called names. One >will not get the support he expects to receive from his seniors and so on….But >at the end of all this, if you have a strong will power you can overcome all >these, and prove yourself with your work. >There was a time when Rahman was being humiliated by some critics, directors >and producers over the kind of music he had scored, and all this when he was >at the peak of his career. He could do nothing about it, and preferred to >remain calm and unmoved. And when ever his work was released, it got an >outstanding response and was embraced by the masses. This overwhelming >response and success was a slap on the face of those critics, producers and >directors. This tell us, all we need to do is to focus on what we are good at, >not on the success it can bring. Success will follow us, our work will speak >of itself. >6. Service - Consideration for others >Not many may have noticed that Rahman has introduced maybe a hundred new young >singers to the Tamil and Hindi screens – his faith in the youth of India is >evident in his statement that he would like youngsters to take a different >view of music after his winning the OSCARS. Rahman has done what no other >music director has done for the cause of music-starting a music school, the KM >MUSIC CONSERVATORY. His objective for starting this school is to make Indian >musicians have a global orchestra of their own. This is such an innovative >idea and Rahman is spending a lot of time, money and energy towards realizing >this noble musical mission! >Rahman is the UN ambassador for the campaign fighting against poverty and he >has associated himself with many social causes. When he was in a state of >probably disillusionment - one of the things his mother said to him was "why >don't you live for others and then you will find a meaning to life". Rahman >stuck to that and he does music to make people happy and to enrich their lives. >On the night he returned to India after receiving the OSCARS, his request that >his fans ought not to disturb his neighbors in the dead of night attracts >attention to a long forgotten quality in India—consideration for others. >7. Humility - Be Humble. Be Honest. Be Simple >With all the above in place, being humble, simple and honest is all that one >needs to do to ensure a great life. With so much of stardom and attention >after the Golden Globe and OSCARS, Rahman could have got carried away with the >success, however he always chose work over publicity. >After winning the OSCARS, he was asked by the press, " what's left for you to >achieve? " He replied in a polite way, " Well, I have not achieved anything. I >have not ended poverty level. I have not stopped wars happening.For me these >are achievements. And in my opinion, I am just a small musician who has got an >award that is it " ! >He carries no weight around him, and that makes him completely approachable >and genuine. His childlike smile can pacify ones fear and anxiety of meeting >him in person. Its like his smile speaks a thousand words. It depicts the >purity of his heart and soul. Each and every success makes him more humble, >honest and simple. What more we can learn from this winner! >Regardless of season he march towards rock climbing success. Even in tough >time his eyes do not move away from excellence. Commitment, giving 100 >percent, focusing on performance is the key ingredients to his success. >Meeting challenges and riding over obstacles are in his blood cells. >Transferring stumbling stones into opportunities with conviction and leading >towards 'WOW' level is the essence of his success. >Through his eternal value and simple living A.R Rahman presents us with >opportunities for professional success provided we learn from them, adapt them >to our own situations and implement them appropriately. >He convey a message to all of us silently especially to the youth - " humble >origins need not prevent us from aspiring for and achieving great success ". >How does he convey this message ? Dil Se ! >Shamim > >-- >regards, >Vithur > > > > -- Regards, Uday Kiran The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage. http://in.yahoo.com/
