Ashapmai Dellang, a member of the renowned Wakro Sisters, has made history as Arunachal’s first graduate in Carnatic music following a captivating recital at Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai on Tuesday.

This performance marks Dellang’s formal entry into Carnatic music, setting her on a path to becoming the first graduate in the classical tradition from Arunachal Pradesh.

A senior member of the Lohit Youth Libraries, Dellang’s recital was structured like a PhD thesis defense, showcasing her in-depth understanding of the art. The hour-long performance included five compositions, demonstrating her expertise across various ragas and talas.

Dellang began with a powerful rendition of ‘Angayar Kanni’, a Tamil Padavarnam (Ragam Mishra Shivaranjani, Talam Aadi) by TR Subramaniam. She then performed ‘Nee Chittamu Nishchalamu’ (Ragam Dhanyasi, Talam Mishra Chapu), a Telugu classic by Saint Thyagaraja. Other pieces included ‘Sadananda Thandavam’ by Achyuta Dasa and ‘Rama Rama Gunaseema’ (Ragam Simhendra-Madhyamam, Talam Adi) by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal. For the grand finale, Dellang performed ‘Chennikula Nagar Vasan’, a Tamil Kavadi Chindu, blending folk rhythms with Carnatic finesse.

The recital was attended by Dellang’s parents, Kalakshetra faculty, officials, and volunteers from the Lohit Youth Library Network, marking a historic moment for Arunachal’s cultural scene.

Looking ahead, the Wakro Sisters plan to spread awareness of Carnatic music across Arunachal Pradesh and Assam after completing their final theory exams in April.