Thulirkal: Majestic Singer, Keerthana Pathmanathan!

Photo Credits: DEV (Design Engineered Visuals)

CTYA’s Blog Team has started a new Feature on Fridays, ThulirkalThulirkal meaning “bud” reflects the young Tamil youth we will be featuring. These youth are the buds of our community, and are growing into to strong, achieving young men and women! Each week we will feature a Tamil youth of the week. For more information or to suggest a youth to feature, please feel free to email us at blogs@ctya.org!

This week we’ve featured Keerthana Pathmanathan!

Keerthana Pathmanathan began her musical journey at the tender age of 4 and completed her vocal arangetram in 2011. She has had the honor of performing and receiving blessings from world-renowned musicians such as Violin Maestro Sri Lalgudi Jeyaraman, Flute Maestro Dr.V. Ramani, and Miruthangam Maestro Umayalpuram Sivaratnam. Looking up to the National Leader of Tamileelam as her guide, she strongly believes that the arts should be used to enrich, protect and preserve Tamil identity, culture and heritage.

CTYA Blog Team: Thank you Keerthana Pathmanathan for sitting down with us today. So, let’s get warmed up. Ok, now don’t think, just say what first comes to mind in one word. 1, 2, 3…

  • Early Riser or Late Riser? – Late Riser
  • Play Safe or Risk-taker? – Risk Taker
  • Favourite Scent? – Givenchy Hot Couture
  • Favourite Tamil Food? – Appam
  • Dad or Mom? – Dad

CTYA Blog Team: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Keerthana Pathmanathan: My name is Keerthana Pathmanathan; I’m currently doing my undergrad in psychology and criminology at the University of Toronto Mississauga. Alongside I am also enrolled at Annamalai University Canada Campus for my BA in music.  I love travelling, watching movies and keeping myself involved with the community. My Appa, Pathmanathan was also a singer who introduced me into the musical world. I was fascinated and motivated my dad’s love for music and he has since played an important role in molding my dreams. My brother, Vivek is also a very talented classical singer. I am an active member of Tamil Youth Organization, which set a solid platform for many youth like myself to excel in their talents through the passion and love for our homeland.

CTYA Blog Team: You have such a beautiful voice! When did you start singing, and realizing that you have a gift for singing?

Keerthana Pathmanathan: I started singing at the tender age of four. During these early years I attended classes for the sake of my father and I was too young to understand the reasoning behind these lessons.   Furthermore, my father taught us the just reasoning of our freedom struggle, the importance of our identity, the immense sacrifices of our Maaveerar and achievements of our Thalaivar.

My father’s passion for music, and his love for his homeland inspired and motivated me in all my musical endeavors. My first stage performance was in 1997 Maaveerar Naal. After performing on stage for the very first time I realized that I truly did have a passion towards music and most importantly towards my homeland. Since then, my musical journey has taken me to successes, challenges and hurdles.  The love for music keeps me focused on overcoming challenges and hurdles placed in my way.

Photo Credits: Ninaivukal

CTYA Blog Team: What’s your favourite song that you’ve performed? What was it about this performance that made it an important one?

Keerthana Pathmanathan: My favourite song that I’ve performed is an Eelam song called “ Vaani Manilai.”

I performed this song at an event organized to show solidarity and raise humanitarian aid for our brethren in our homeland who were suffering during the height of the Tamil genocide.

After my performance, an elderly couple was in tears. They felt deeply moved by performance. They said, “When you sang with such passion and feeling towards the song it made me remember all the good times in our country. It assured me that you don’t have to be born and brought up in a land to have passion and love towards that land. Just keep bringing music like this to us and I promise you we will only get closer to our destination Tamil Eelam.” Till today these words ring in my ears and bring tears to my eyes. I realized how music could emotionally move an individual through the feeling and life you give to meaningful words.


Photo Credits: DEV (Design Engineered Visuals)


CTYA Blog Team: You participate in many events that have a focus on preserving and celebrating Tamil culture and identity. What is it about your Tamil heritage, culture and identity that you are most proud of?

Keerthana Pathmanathan: I am proud to be Tamil. I am proud to continuously fight for self determination and for a separate homeland. I’m proud of my Tamil identity along with our enriched, and divine culture. I am proud of our Maaveerar.  I am proud of our Leader.  I am proud of my people.  The will power of our people is very inspiring.

CTYA Blog Team: Where do you see yourself in 10 years from today? What are some of the things you want to achieve by then?

Keerthana Pathmanathan: I see myself in Tamil Eelam 10 years from today. Some things I would like to achieve by then is become a high school teacher, become a well known classical singer, continue to preserve our identity, and culture, educate others about our struggle, excel in music and use that as a venue to express Tamils aspirations. I also would like to visit Tamileelam and teach music to the next generation of our youth.

CTYA Blog Team: Finish the sentence. “To me, Tamil youth are…”

Keerthana Pathmanathan: the future tomorrow. Tamil youth have the talent, power, motivation and determination which ensures the world that we have a bright future ahead of us. As Thalaivar said the struggle is now in the hands of the youth. Just that line should motivate every Tamil youth that if we are forever united there is nothing that can defeat us but victory itself.

CTYA Blog Team: Anything else you’d like to add?

Keerthana Pathmanathan: I would like to thank CTYA for taking the time to interview me and also for being an amazing organization to support, motivate and bring light to youth talent. I would just like to lastly add that when I feel nervous or when I’m in doubt of taking challenges I just close my eyes and think of Thalaivars motivational words, and also all the Maaveerar who sacrificed their lives for me to live the life I am living today. If it wasn’t for them I know I wouldn’t be here today, and those thoughts are what helps me overcome any challenges I face. One of my favorite quotes by Thalaivar “ The love and attachment we have for our language, for our arts, for our culture and for our land evolve into a patriotic feeling.” To me, it isn’t just about talent; it’s about how one uses their talent towards our struggle and preserving our identity.

Thanks Keerthana for sharing your thoughts today.

Catch up with us next Friday where we’ll be bringing you another Talented Tamil youth story! For more information or to suggest a youth to feature, please feel free to email us at blogs@ctya.org!

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