A Voice Reborn: The Song of Courage and Belief
Dr. Rakeshwer Malviya (Khyaal Club Member)
“My name is Dr. Rakeshwer Malviya. I am 52 years old and was born in Sultanpur, a small town between Ayodhya and Prayagraj. I trained under Ustaad Abdul Rashid Khan Sahab and completed my Ph.D. in vocal music. Music runs in my family. My elder sister Dr Shraddha Malviya guided me through my early years. That is why I still consider her my first teacher. I began performing on stage while still in school and went on to sing for Akashvani, Doordarshan, and many concerts across India. And that is how I dedicated my entire life to singing, teaching, and composing.
I have witnessed all the eras of music. I have seen the time when sound systems were rare to find and today’s digital world where songs are composed by technology. I have also shared the stage with great artists like Rashid Khan Sahab and Pandit Lachhu Maharaaj ji. Each performance taught me something new. Every performance, every note, every applause became a part of who I am. I also composed songs for films and devotional albums, some released by T-Series, Venus and other companies. Even today, people tell me they listen to my cassettes in different parts of the world. When my health began troubling me, I returned to Sultanpur and built a small recording studio at home. During the pandemic, I even started my own YouTube channel named Swar Aangan Records. Life kept moving, but music stayed with me through it all.
Six years ago, everything changed. It started with a small sore in my mouth. I thought it would go away, but it did not. The doctor told me it might be mouth cancer. I sat there in silence, thinking about my voice. For a singer, losing voice is like losing life itself. The doctor said I would need an operation, but there was a possibility that I could lose my voice forever. I could not imagine a world where I could not sing again. So I prayed and waited for the medicines to work but the situation became worse. The cancer spread. It even started spreading towards my neck. Soon, I could not swallow water or even speak a word. I felt helpless, but I decided to face it. I prayed for just one thing - to keep my voice alive. I was fortunate to have found expert doctors! They planned the surgery very carefully. The operation was done in a way that did not touch my vocal cords. When I woke up, my whole face and throat were hurting. My tongue was stitched, and there was a pipe in my neck. I could not eat, drink, or speak. Even my lips would not close properly. I tried to make small sounds, just to see if my voice was still there. The nurses thought I was in pain, but I was only searching for my voice. The next day, when the doctor came to remove the pipe, I called him closer. I whispered in his ear “Look, I can still speak”. That whisper gave me hope. It told me that my voice was still alive, and so was I.
After one and a half months, radiation therapy started. It was more painful than I could have imagined. My neck and face got covered with big blisters. The skin became so fragile that even a light touch would tear it. Once it tore, it could not be stitched or treated. For six months, I could not brush my teeth. I could only gargle to avoid infection. My life felt worse than that of a prisoner. I kept a strict routine. A simple liquid diet, gargles every fifteen minutes, and running three kilometres to keep my strength. I used to cough so much that my neck swelled and dried up. The pain was unbearable, but I held on.
Every night before sleeping, I took ayurvedic medicines with honey and read the shastras. I would hum “Om” every morning and before going to bed at night. I also practised classical “Alankaars” to keep my voice alive. In the middle of all this, my left cheek developed a hole. Even water would leak out when I tried to drink it. When I tried to sing, air escaped from that hole. But I still sang. Somehow, I tried. Each sound felt like a battle, but I refused to stop. Slowly, I began to recover. I still remember the first day I could sing a small note! It was just a single note, but it filled my eyes with tears. I kept practising that one note again and again. I sang softly every night, even when my mouth hurt.
Just when I thought life had settled, life tested me again. I was diagnosed with lung cancer. My body grew weaker with every passing day. The pain during chemotherapy became unbearable. During the biopsy, I felt as if every nerve in my body was being crushed. I could not taste food or even water. One night, as I sat alone, I thought maybe my time had come. But the next morning, I told myself it had not. I had fought once, and I would fight again. I started small exercises for my mouth, tried breathing practice, and forced myself to eat. I tried to walk a few steps every day. Slowly, I started regaining strength.
Now, I begin my day early. I do light exercise, take my medicines, and spend my day in the studio. I teach students in the evening and keep myself surrounded by music. There is a deep hunger inside me for this art. No matter what happens, I want to keep singing. I cannot live without it. The pain is still there, but it no longer controls me. Faith and music have given me a new life. I thank God for everything he has given me. I know I will overcome anything that comes my way. God has given me strength. I do not look at the problem anymore. I look at my music, and that keeps me going.
When I heard about the 50 Above 50 through Facebook, I felt a deep connection. My well-wishers encouraged me to participate. That is how I became part of the Khyaal community. It felt wonderful to be in a space where seniors are valued and respected. Khyaal gave me a chance to share my journey and my music once again.
To all my fellow seniors, I want to say something from my heart. Never lose hope, come what may. God helps those who help themselves. Believe in yourself and thank God for every new day.” - Dr. Rakeshwer Malviya (Khyaal Club Member)