South India has always been associated with a rich cultural heritage. It is here that several classical dance forms and one of India’s two classical music genres have emerged. With an intention to tap into this rich heritage and to encourage more people to take up South Indian artforms Nara Visva and Kiran Sampath along with Ranjith Govind started The Pallikoodam, a unique online learning platform specialising in these artforms.
Conceptualised during the pandemic, the decision to take it online was not just the focus on e-learning but also inquiries from countries like the US, UK, Singapore and Malaysia, says Kiran. “The platform will have a mix of live classes and courses. Students will also receive personalised training from the mentors if they so desire,” she adds. The first course, a singing course by singer Ranjith — who has worked alongside several popular music directors in Tamil cinema and is also a vocal coach — will be launched on July 18. "The course will teach students advanced singing techniques and also focus on how to succeed in the music industry," says Kiran. More courses on other artforms, including Bharatanatyam, playing the veena, drama and songwriting will be launched in the upcoming weeks.
The inaugural singing course has been priced at Rs 2,499 and has two levels. "Ranjith believes that anybody can sing, but only if they train and practice enough. The first level is open to everyone to learn about everything from how to sing in pitch to how to manage a social media account for connecting with an audience. The second level is a bit advanced and meant for those who would like to pursue it seriously. It's a four-week course with over seven hours of content," explains Kiran.
Kiran believes her prior work experience in the field of learning and development as the founder of Cube C helps her offer something unique to the project. “I have worked closely with various corporations and institutions and understand what’s lacking and how that can be bridged to help students reach their potential. I have always wanted to explore and offer something in the education space and The Pallikoodam is just that,” says Kiran. Her friendship with Nara and Ranjith has only helped her seal the deal. While Ranjith will be the one taking some of the classes, Nara has been instrumental in creating the modules at The Pallikoodam.
You can register at thepallikoodam.com.
