Veena never gave up her aspiration despite being born in a poor household and married off at the age of 17, and has become an inspiration to people in need.
Veena Modani from Jaipur, Rajasthan used to sing and prance around whenever her mother called her for some work. She couldn’t finish her schooling because she was born into a poor family with seven sisters and a brother. She couldn’t afford singing or dancing classes, either. Even her family was opposed to her pursuing her dream. She has finally established herself after years of hardship. Veena’s music now appeals to both children and adults.
Her rhythmic steps have acted as a therapy in the depressing times of Covid-19 lockdowns and won her several awards. She sings in eight languages and her fans call her the ‘Asha Bhosle of Rajasthan’!
She married at 17, was able to convince her in-laws after some effort over the years that she would be “incomplete” without music and dance. With her husband supporting her, she finally got the go-ahead to teach dance to children. Veena then started a dance academy.
She began her professional singing career seven years ago. Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, a Grammy Award winner from Jaipur, and Ronu Majumdar, a well-known flute performer, both praise Veena’s talent. “Veena’s voice has the sweetness of Lata Mangeshkar and the intoxicating quality of Asha Bhosle,” gushes Bhatt. “The effect of her voice is like the confluence of rivers in Allahabad.”
She provides free training to children in need. “If children have talent and the passion to learn, then their financial condition should not be a hindrance. I work to hone the skills of children,” she says. Some years ago, an NGO requested Veena to teach music and dance to around 60 special children who lived and studied there. Veena’s condition was, she would not charge anything. “These children suffer from serious illnesses but their energy level is high. When they dance and learn music, they seem to forget all their sufferings,” says Veena.
Veena also does free musical performances and dancing activities for the elderly in old age homes. “Many people come to learn music and dance to overcome their problems. Music has a lot of healing power. Many cancer patients also come to me. Music is a mood elevator. It breaks your thought process. People often forget they have any disease,” she says. Veena began taking online music and dance classes during the Covid lockdown. Many of her students responded by writing that her classes helped them cope with stress, fear, and loneliness.