The language of music is universal: Prayas Khuntia

Prayas Khuntia, a 23-year-old boy from Cuttack, lives a dual life and happily so! A business growth manager by profession, he is also a drummer in a popular band.
Music has always been a passion for Prayas. Even during his collage days, when Prayas used to meet his friends for casual jamming sessions, they loved his sense of rhythm. It was then he started taking formal lessons in drums to discover the real musician in him.To create an identity of their own, in the field of music, Prayas and his three friends decided to constitute a band. And thus began their musical journey.
Having cleared his Grade-2 in drumming lessons, now he travels to Kolkata for further training. Prayas has participated in many rock fests with his band and has bagged laurels in most of the competitions. He has also been awarded the best drummer in one of the competitions held in a medical collage in Cuttack.
So far his band has performed in more than 200 shows all around Odisha. Mike Protnoy, the drummer of the band, Dream Theater, is his favourite. “From Mikes’ playing style to his sense of rhythm to his attitude — that’s what takes to make a perfect drummer,” says Prayas.
For him, his passion for music comes first. However, he wouldn’t like to neglect his career either. “Having a job is important, but music is what keeps me going,” he says.
So far, he has been successfully managing both. But if a day comes when he has to choose between the two, it would surely be music. “I would like to see myself as one of the top drummers of the country and a rhythm programmer within five years from now,” he avers.
Sivamani has been a big inspiration. When asked how he would like to define music, Prayas says, “Music is an expression of all emotions — happiness, sadness et al. Music transcends all barriers and the language of music is universal,” Prayas signs off.