From swimming to singing

A finalist at a popular ongoing musical reality show, Mirande Shah reveals, “I never gave a serious thought to singing till high school.” Shah’s first real interest was, in fact, swimming.
She started swimming at age three. “As a child, I was fascinated by water. I used to practice swiming under the guidance of my coach Kamlesh Nanavati at Gujarat Vidyapith.”
She participated at various national level events including the National Games in the Free Style and Butterfly categories.“One of my most memorable experiences was in Patiala, when I went to participate in a competition. It was peak winter and one day, the water nearly froze due to the extreme cold,” she reminisces.
Another unforgettable moment was when she had participated at the National Games in Hyderabad. “Aishwarya and Amitabh Bachchan inaugurated the event. It was thrilling to see them from close quarters.”
How did she manage to find out time for practice? “My parents as well as the schools I attended were very supportive. My mother used to chart my schedule everyday. And I received my teachers’ full support,” says 18-year-old Shah who has been a student of Mount Carmel and St. Xavier’s Loyola schools in Ahmedabad, and is currently pursuing B.A. in Literature from St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad.
So, where does the singing angle fit in? “I have been practising since I was young. My maternal grandmother was a trained singer. My mother too, is a Sangeet Visharad. My first guru was Nayan Panchal. He spotted my talent and recommended me to Shri Aniket Khandekar, a well-known Ahmedabad vocalist from the ‘Mirasi’ gharana. The gharana has spawned a colossus such as Pandit Jasraj. Under his tutelage, my talent blossomed,” she explains.
Ask her about the switching from swimming to singing and she says, “My swimming capabilities were not good enough to compete at higher levels. While, the case was opposite with my singing.”
What was the experience like, to be under the arc lights in Mumbai? “It has been thrilling. I have learnt many things like how the industry works through my interactions with the industry people and celebrities. It’s a whole new world.”
Shah says she always takes any kind of criticism positively. “While my penultimate aim is to succeed, it is not ‘do or die’ for me. I would give my best. So, even if I do not succeed, I want to leave a positive impression on the judges and audience.”
And the future? “I believe in living life as it comes. At present, I definitely want to continue with my singing. If I get any decent offer in future, I will go for it. Otherwise, I will do stage shows,” she says.