Process

Satish Bhatia had composed the music of a TV serial. The singer, who was to record the title song, flew in from Mumbai and reached the recording studio in Delhi at 11 in the morning. The track was ready. He needed to learn the melody and record. It would not have taken much time for a professional like him.

But he had not done his daily riyaaz because of the early morning flight. So he sat – inside the studio with the studio harmonium – and for three hours he practised, eyes closed, completely focused. Riyaaz was over by 2:30 in the afternoon. “Lunch?” he was asked. “After the recording,” he said.

He listened to the tune, read the lyrics and began practising. He was ready by 3:30 pm to record. By 5 pm, the title song in different variants was ready. The producer was ecstatic, the composer was highly satisfied, and the singer was happy with the final product. "Let us have that lunch now," he declared.

Bhatia’s nephew, Ajay Mankotia was witness to the dedication of Jagjit Singh, an established artiste who refused to own up the arrogance that comes from the burden of past performance. In fact his competency and skill were empowered by his attitude of following the process that was needed for him to give his best.

So often, so many of us get complacent as we get competent. We allow the previous result to make us careless in our present efforts. We forget that it is the process that created the performance. Successful persons like Jagjit Singh escape the lull that makes us think that the process was not important.

It is not just you but the process too

that makes you rise above the blue!

~ Pravin K. Sabnis