In 2018, Swapnali Gaikwad, a Marathwada native studying at MIT Vishwashanti Sangeet Kala Academy, began giving music lessons to support her studies at the University. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and safety regulations, she had to shift these classes to online platforms. Surprisingly, she received enrollments from various countries such as the US, UK, Australia, Germany, France, Pakistan, and Japan, with students who did not speak English signing up to learn Indian Classical Singing.
Since March 2020, Swapnali has successfully taught music to approximately 546 students worldwide. At present, more than 150 students are learning from her through online classes. One of her students, Neha Ganjoo, expressed her satisfaction, stating that learning classical music online was a wonderful experience. Despite initial skepticism, the teaching method made it feel like being in a traditional classroom. Additionally, these classes helped her cope with anxiety related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, Swapnali is taking a step further to assist aspiring young artists and folk artists from rural Maharashtra to establish themselves in the music industry. Her mission is to support musicians who have suffered financial losses due to the pandemic and to empower upcoming artists who aspire to succeed in the Indian Classical music industry.
Swapnali received assistance from a student named Mallav from Gujarat to formalize her online classes. She also aims to help artists monetize their work through online platforms, hoping that her artists will gain international recognition for their talents.