Latest news with #AgraGharana
India.com
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Studied at IIT, cracked UPSC exam at 21 to become IAS officer, quit after few years due to..., he is now...
The Civil Services Examination(CSE) is one of the toughest exams in India. Every year, thousands of aspirants appear for the exam. The examination is held in three phases. Several people appear for exams to become IAS, IPS, IFS, and other prestigious civil servants in India. Many individuals, despite becoming IAS officers and having spent several years in their bureaucratic careers, choose to leave their respected positions in pursuit of something different. In this article, we will talk about the success story of IAS Kashish Mittal, an IIT graduate from IIT Delhi, who chose to leave his civil services career to pursue his passion for classical music. Kashish Mittal secured All India Rank(AIR) 58 in the Civil Services Examination and became an IAS officer. After spending nearly 8 years in that role, he quit his position to pursue his passion for classical music. Kashish is originally from Punjab. He pursued his Computer Science degree from IIT Delhi. He assumed several prestigious positions in his civil service career. He worked as an Additional Deputy Commissioner of Chandigarh, Deputy Commissioner of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. In addition, he even served as Additional Principal Secretary at NITI Aayog. Kashish Mittal was born in Jalandhar in 1989 to IPS officer Jagdish Kumar and Sangeeta Mittal. At the age of eight years, Kashish was initiated into Hindustani Classical Music under Prof. Harvinder Singh, along with his younger brother Lavish, as reported on the official page of Kashish Mittal. Kashish gave his first performance at the age of eleven at the Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan in Punjab. Furthermore, Kashish moved under the tutelage of Pandit Yashpaul, maestro of the Agra Gharana, according to the Guru Shishya Parampara. He underwent rigorous training under Pt. Yashpaul, and learnt the fine nuances of Khayal gayaki in the Agra Gharana style of singing. At the age of 21, Kashish joined the coveted Indian Administrative Service (IAS). Kashish is considered as one of the very promising young artistes of Agra Gharana and has carved a special place for himself in the Indian classical musical scene. He has been recognized as an 'A Grade' artiste by the All India Radio & Doordarshan and an 'Established artiste' by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Government of India.
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
AIR 6 in JEE, IIT Delhi graduate and IAS officer at 21; he left It all for music: Meet classical singer Kashish Mittal
A Melody Rooted in Memory The Call of Public Service and the Pull of Passion Resignation That Made Headlines You Might Also Like: Retired IAS officer gives reasons why middle-class life in 2025 is better than in the 1970s In a country where cracking the UPSC exam is seen as the pinnacle of achievement, Kashish Mittal had it all figured out early. An IIT Delhi graduate with an All India Rank of 6 in JEE and a successful stint in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Mittal was considered a prodigy. But in 2019, just nine years into his bureaucratic career, he stunned many by resigning from the coveted service. His reason? A lifelong devotion to Hindustani classical music Now, far from the bureaucratic corridors of Delhi, Mittal is often found on stage performing Khayal gayaki from the Agra Gharana , the very genre he fell in love with as a in Jalandhar in 1989 to IPS officer Jagdish Kumar and Sangeeta Mittal, music was part of Kashish's DNA. He began his formal training in Hindustani classical music at the tender age of eight. By eleven, he was already performing at Punjab's prestigious Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan.'My music journey began even before my IAS journey was imagined,' Mittal shared in a feature with Indian Masterminds. 'Even during my school and IIT years, I never let go of music—it was always there, a quiet force pulling me in.'His training later deepened under the guru-shishya parampara with maestro Pandit Yashpaul, from whom he imbibed the nuances of Agra Gharana's traditional Khayal gayaki. Recognised today as an 'A Grade' artiste by All India Radio and Doordarshan, and as an 'Established Artiste' by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Mittal has performed at numerous festivals across by his IPS father, Mittal pursued civil services after completing in Computer Science from IIT Delhi. He cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination in his first attempt and joined the IAS at just roles were as prestigious as his academic record. He served as Additional Deputy Commissioner of Chandigarh, Deputy Commissioner of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, and later, as Additional Principal Secretary at NITI Aayog during his central deputation. But despite the accolades and authority, music remained his true anchor.'I tried balancing both,' he admitted, 'but classical music is not a side pursuit—it demands surrender.'In 2019, soon after a transfer to Arunachal Pradesh, Mittal formally stepped away from his bureaucratic post to fully embrace music. The news made waves, but his decision reflected clarity, not conflict. 'An art like this is an eternal journey. You need to give it the respect it deserves,' he followed was not just a revival of a musical career, but a renewed sense of purpose. From Sufi renditions to semi-classical performances, his soulful voice began resonating beyond traditional stages—on social media as Mittal broke the internet with a soul-stirring rendition of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan 's Unke Andaz-e-Karam. Seated casually on a sofa, surrounded by friends, his impromptu performance garnered nearly 3 million views on Instagram. The caption read: 'Woh bhi apne na hue, dil bhi gaya haathon se'—words that struck a chord with viewers as deeply as the song response was overwhelming. 'You, sir, are a gem,' one user commented. Another wrote, 'Even after IIT AIR 6 and IAS, you're still following your passion. Truly motivating.'Mittal's contributions have not gone unnoticed. He was conferred with the Punjab State Award for Art and Culture (2007), Saraswati Samman by IIT Delhi (2010), and the Naad Shri Samman (2018) for his excellence in Hindustani classical music. He also holds several national scholarships, including the prestigious NTSE and CCRT fellowships.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
AIR 6 in JEE, IIT Delhi graduate and IAS officer at 21; he left It all for music: Meet classical singer Kashish Mittal
A Melody Rooted in Memory The Call of Public Service and the Pull of Passion Resignation That Made Headlines You Might Also Like: Retired IAS officer gives reasons why middle-class life in 2025 is better than in the 1970s In a country where cracking the UPSC exam is seen as the pinnacle of achievement, Kashish Mittal had it all figured out early. An IIT Delhi graduate with an All India Rank of 6 in JEE and a successful stint in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Mittal was considered a prodigy. But in 2019, just nine years into his bureaucratic career, he stunned many by resigning from the coveted service. His reason? A lifelong devotion to Hindustani classical music Now, far from the bureaucratic corridors of Delhi, Mittal is often found on stage performing Khayal gayaki from the Agra Gharana , the very genre he fell in love with as a in Jalandhar in 1989 to IPS officer Jagdish Kumar and Sangeeta Mittal, music was part of Kashish's DNA. He began his formal training in Hindustani classical music at the tender age of eight. By eleven, he was already performing at Punjab's prestigious Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan.'My music journey began even before my IAS journey was imagined,' Mittal shared in a feature with Indian Masterminds. 'Even during my school and IIT years, I never let go of music—it was always there, a quiet force pulling me in.'His training later deepened under the guru-shishya parampara with maestro Pandit Yashpaul, from whom he imbibed the nuances of Agra Gharana's traditional Khayal gayaki. Recognised today as an 'A Grade' artiste by All India Radio and Doordarshan, and as an 'Established Artiste' by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Mittal has performed at numerous festivals across by his IPS father, Mittal pursued civil services after completing in Computer Science from IIT Delhi. He cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination in his first attempt and joined the IAS at just roles were as prestigious as his academic record. He served as Additional Deputy Commissioner of Chandigarh, Deputy Commissioner of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, and later, as Additional Principal Secretary at NITI Aayog during his central deputation. But despite the accolades and authority, music remained his true anchor.'I tried balancing both,' he admitted, 'but classical music is not a side pursuit—it demands surrender.'In 2019, soon after a transfer to Arunachal Pradesh, Mittal formally stepped away from his bureaucratic post to fully embrace music. The news made waves, but his decision reflected clarity, not conflict. 'An art like this is an eternal journey. You need to give it the respect it deserves,' he followed was not just a revival of a musical career, but a renewed sense of purpose. From Sufi renditions to semi-classical performances, his soulful voice began resonating beyond traditional stages—on social media as Mittal broke the internet with a soul-stirring rendition of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan 's Unke Andaz-e-Karam. Seated casually on a sofa, surrounded by friends, his impromptu performance garnered nearly 3 million views on Instagram. The caption read: 'Woh bhi apne na hue, dil bhi gaya haathon se'—words that struck a chord with viewers as deeply as the song response was overwhelming. 'You, sir, are a gem,' one user commented. Another wrote, 'Even after IIT AIR 6 and IAS, you're still following your passion. Truly motivating.'Mittal's contributions have not gone unnoticed. He was conferred with the Punjab State Award for Art and Culture (2007), Saraswati Samman by IIT Delhi (2010), and the Naad Shri Samman (2018) for his excellence in Hindustani classical music. He also holds several national scholarships, including the prestigious NTSE and CCRT fellowships.
