Mysuru: As someone who infused verve into Kannada film music, and scintillated movie aficionados with little quirks in words he used in the numerous songs he wrote, Hamsalekha , who practically redefined film music in Kannada, managed to regale the children of Government Primary School in Kuvempunagar on Thursday with his characteristic wit and charm.Emphasising the importance of hard work, Hamsalekha said, “There is no substitute for hard work. Whether we are happy or sad, we should constantly work hard in our life since it will help balance our mind. Pain or gain will leave no effect on us.”The session, which was organised by the Kalisu Foundation, saw the schoolchildren excitedly interacting with the composer-lyricist, who fielded questions from the students. “Once we receive education, we should be grateful for it, respect it, and remember what we learnt,” Hamsalekha said.Pointing to the many wonders created by God, Hamsalekha said, “Life will be interesting only when there is an element of surprise in it.” He added that, regardless of the amount of knowledge one acquired, or the heights one scaled, he or she must remain humble till the end.A question about his childhood days sent Hamsalekha on a stroll down memory lane. “I used to play with marbles as a child. I was very good at history, often scoring 99 out of 100, whereas in mathematics, I usually scored zero,” he said.Hamsalekha said that, his headmaster would often advise him that his proficiency in history alone would not set him on the path to greatness. “He would tell me that I must achieve something remarkable to enter the history books, and I believe I have not yet done that,” the composer said.When a boy Aruna asked him what he would have done had he not been a musician, Hamsalekha said, “I would have been at a printing press, binding books or doing carpentry since I was interested in them. Or perhaps, I would have been a kabbadi player.”When Nirmala, another student, asked him about his earliest memories of Mysuru, Hamsalekha replied, “I fondly remember my father hoisting me on his shoulders to watch the Dasara procession. When I grew up and married, I would visit this city frequently with my wife.”

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