In a freewheeling chat Ranjan discusses about her work and achievements in the field of music and related areas:

First of all, we congratulate you on receiving the first Global Award 2010. We would like you to tell us when did your interest in music start building up as a passion and you realised that this would be your forte in future?

I had a liking for music from my childhood and as such I started learning the nuances of classical singing from an early age. With a desire to become a good classical singer, I practiced daily and completed my formal education in music with an MA and 'Sangeet Prabhakar' degrees.

But, while learning music, I did not ignore the other aspects of education and I was equally well versed in subjects like English literature, Sanskrit and some others although music was my passion and will always remain so.

Which genre of music has influenced you the most?

Well, devotional singing has influenced me the most, what you call 'Bhajans' in Hindi have been very close to my heart. I love writing bhajans and singing them as well, although I have been a regular singer on Doordarshan, Akashvani and other mediums singing songs and Ghazals. My singing programmes have also been telecast on Aastha and Sanskar channels.

Comparing the Indian music with Western music, which style do you think is better and in what ways?

Undoubtedly, Indian classical music has the depth and melody to strike at the core of a singer's as well listeners hearts but this is lacking in Western music, which is more about entertainment. Indian music is completely based on balancing and fine-tuning the 'sur' to have a spiritual experience, whereas the latter is more about creating sensations through the 'Taal'.

Is music a profession for you or you practice it as a mean to reach the ultimate bliss?

Music for me is religion and it is not in any way connected to earn money or livelihood. I have never sung for money and would never do the same in future. However, I have done a number of stage programmes for charitable causes and would continue to do the same in future as well.

There has come a huge difference in the quality of music and songs being created today as compared to the past, when melody reigned supreme. What is your take on this?

I agree to this point as earlier the songs and music had a classical base and compositions were based on 'Ragas', which lead to a very creative and melodious output. But this is not the situation today as music is being composed on the drop of a hat and this leads to something which can entertainment but has only a very short shelf life.

Do you think the time of yore will return to once again recreate the golden era in India music?

Well, I think that the era, when music was supreme and lyrics were composed to soothe the nerves of people will definitely return. Music is something which relieves people of tension and stress in our lives and since the music scene today has not proved to be of any help, I think the days of soothing songs and pleasing music will definitely come back.

A trend has emerged where old songs are remixed as old wine in new bottle. Do you think the remix saga will continue to rule the waves?

I don't appreciate remixing old songs as this destroys the spirit of the great songs and the message these songs had inherent in their lilting tunes. Mixing the old lyrics and getting the same sung by others, also is a mark of disrespect to the original singers and composers, who had worked hard to create magic.

What is your opinion on reality shows that are dominating the medium of television these days?

The reality shows might have their pros and cons, but no doubt these have proved to be of great help in finding talent for the music industry. Due to the talent hunts on various channels, a number of budding singers and performers have got an opportunity to showcase their skills and make a mark on the big screen.