“You must choose the field of your interest first and then approach the right person to guide. No doubt, it will take you to the heights and my life is a classic example to prove it,” says renowned music critic V.A.K. Ranga Rao.
“One day I literally broke into tears in the presence of my guru Malladi Ramakrishna Sastry and told him that I am not proficient in Sanskrit. He advised me to pick up the field of my interest and meet the persons who excelled in the field. That advice has changed my life and made me what I am today,” recalls the octogenarian, while addressing a get together organised by Chavali Ramakrishna, Subbalakshmi Foundation at Gandhi Bhavan here on Friday. Mr Ranga Rao, the descendant of Royal family of Bobbili, is known for possessing the largest collection of 78 rpm records in the world. Music scholar, dancer, film historian and critic are the other credits he has amassed in a span of seven decades.
“Listening to the gramophone records was my childhood passion and it drove me to collect the records released in the international market. I have been into astronomy, ornithology and collection of the history of Telugu cinema with special reference to music all these years,” he says.
Mr. Ranga Rao, who has discontinued formal education in the final year of Intermediate, admits that not having any degrees has made him to accept his mistakes.
A classical dancer by passion, Mr. Ranga Rao is still performing dances every year in the temples at Srinivasa Mangapuram and Karvetinagaram during the annual Kalyanotsavam.
Listening to gramophone records was my childhood passion and it drove me to collect the records released in the international market
V.A.K. Ranga Rao
Music critic