Passion and Purpose | Ketakee Mateygaonkar | TEDxVNIT

Ketaki Mategaonkar: Passion, Purpose, and the Pursuit of Music

Key Concepts: Passion, Purpose, Monotony, Competition (Illusion), Nurturing Your Seed, Healing Through Music, External vs. Internal Achievements, Loyalty to Passion.

Early Life and Discovering Passion

Ketaki Mategaonkar introduces herself as a singer known for songs like "Mala, Priya, Cara" and her role in "Band Pass." She began singing at a very young age (2-3 years old) and recorded her first song for an album by Celine at age four. Her childhood was unconventional, involving frequent moves and spending time in theaters, either performing, doing homework backstage, or sleeping in keyboard cases. Despite this, she found a companion in her cassette player, which ignited her passion for music.

The Adventure of Following Passion

Ketaki describes her hectic schedule, involving frequent flights for recordings (e.g., Chennai for Tamil songs). She uses this to illustrate that following one's passion turns every journey into an adventure. However, she acknowledges that monotony can creep in, leading to questioning one's passion.

The Importance of Purpose

Ketaki emphasizes the crucial role of purpose alongside passion. She argues that passion without purpose is not long-lasting. Purpose provides a sense of fulfillment, refreshes the mind, and helps overcome monotony.

Singing for Ilaiyaraaja: Overcoming Fear

Ketaki recounts her experience of recording for the legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja. Initially, she was nervous and scared. However, she realized that she should sing for her own happiness, which led to a successful recording session and subsequent opportunities to record more songs in Tamil. This experience reinforced the idea that singing for personal joy leads to better results.

Pursuing Western Music: A Bold Decision

Despite years of training in Indian classical music, Ketaki decided to pursue Western music. This decision was met with criticism from some who felt it disrespected her own musical heritage. However, driven by her passion and the interconnectedness of the world, she pursued eight grades of Trinity College of London in Western classical music. She saved money by accepting every work opportunity and attended a vocal course at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. This decision proved to be pivotal, leading to one of the best opportunities in her career.

The Composer Within

Passion not only broadened her musical horizons but also unlocked her inner composer. This allowed her to express herself through music rather than just words. She describes her seven musical notes as her "soldiers" to express her story, unlocking creativity and emotions she never knew existed.

Filmfare Award: A Fleeting Happiness

Ketaki recalls winning her first Filmfare Award in 2016, a historical moment as the first playback singer to win it in Marathi. While initially overjoyed, she realized that the happiness derived from the award was not long-lasting. This reinforced her belief that true and lasting happiness comes from purpose.

The Guru's Question: Shifting Perspective

A turning point came when her guru, Devaki Pandit, asked her why she wanted to learn music. Initially, Ketaki's answers focused on external achievements like fame and awards. However, her guru then asked what would happen if she never became famous, earned money, or received recognition. This question shifted her perspective towards music, leading her to discover that her purpose was to heal and give love to people through her music. This purpose transcended material gains.

Healing Through Music: Real-World Impact

Ketaki shares instances where her music had a tangible impact on people's lives. She received a call from a cancer patient who listened to her music during chemotherapy. A doctor also sent her a video showing how one of her songs helped stabilize a patient's blood pressure. These experiences validated her purpose of healing through music.

Challenges and Resilience

Ketaki recounts a challenging experience shooting in Switzerland at -16 degrees Celsius, which led to her fainting, dropping oxygen levels, and developing blood clots. Despite the difficulties, she would do it again because she loved every bit of it and tried to bind her soul to every shot. She believes that while the body is mortal, music and passion are immortal.

Competition as an Illusion

Ketaki emphasizes that competition is an illusion. She believes that everyone has a unique "seed" planted within them by God. Instead of competing with others, one should focus on nurturing their own seed. Nurturing your own seed can lead to unexpected growth and success.

Discovering Your Passion and Purpose

Ketaki encourages the audience to discover their own passion and purpose. She suggests that passion is the thing you do even if nobody is paying attention or recognizing you. To find your purpose, shift your focus from "what can I get" to "how can I contribute."

Passion's Test and the Ultimate Reward

Ketaki warns that passion will test you, just like a possessive partner. However, if you remain loyal and nurture your passion, it will eventually reward you with confidence, satisfaction, and happiness. She concludes by urging the audience to nurture their passion, let their purpose guide them, and create their own path.

Conclusion

Ketaki Mategaonkar's speech emphasizes the importance of aligning passion with purpose for a fulfilling and impactful life. She shares personal anecdotes and experiences to illustrate how pursuing one's passion, overcoming challenges, and focusing on contributing to society can lead to lasting happiness and a sense of immortality through one's work. The key takeaway is to nurture your unique "seed" and let your purpose guide you, rather than chasing external validation or succumbing to the illusion of competition.