Dr. Kothakapu Swaroopa
Early life and education
Dedication and hardwork always has the best results with the progress of time, this has become absolutely true in this case. Born in a middle class family with farming background Dr.K. Swaroopa has always dreamt of a successful and happy life that she always wanted to pursue a career in music.
Admiration for music has been always there since childhood and this has made a greater impact on the choices made about her career. Support from her family has made her even more confident and determined from the early stages itself. After completion of her primary education in the Saraswati Sishu Mandir in Zahirabad Telangana, she opted to come to hyderabad for her high school and graduation which was the best choice she ever made according to the progress of her career.
Her interest in music has been showing off every single time any cultural programme was organised beginning from her school level itself. Every inaugural song in all the cultural’s from then was in the voice of hers. She was a very enthusiastic and cheerful student who was interested in participating and showcasing her talent after her classes in the morning she joined Sri Tyagaraja Kalasala Ramkote Hyderabad to fulfil her desire to pursue a career in music.
After her intermediate she decided to take it a step further and started her undergrad in B.A music from Sri Potti Sriramulu telugu university, Nampally, Hyderabad. After her graduation she completed her postgraduate also in the same after her postgrad her love and admiration towards folk music made her study further in those fields. She finished her M.phil and P.H.D in folk music from the same university and received doctorate in folk music.
For any person to be successful in any field for that matter her family would be the biggest strength or weakness especially for a woman in India from a middle class family this would be the biggest turning point which turned to be an asset for her. A supportive family, understanding inlaws, husband and children who are her first critics for any of her work professionally.
Professional career
After her studies she worked as a music instructor in various schools in hyderabad and trained students with different kinds of music and led performances for the school culturals. Soon after she realised she could spread her wings while she was already taking classes for students in carnatic classical music at her home she made it official by setting up a music institute in the name of Sruthi laya music academy in the year 2010 and has been training many students. Her students never had age limit as a factor as her students start to be from toddlers to learned people who are enthusiastic in learning music.
Students she trained participate in various singing reality shows such as Paddutha Teeyaga and Bol Baby bol. She ensures every student shines like a superstar while she trains from the basic level itself.
Playback career
Start of her professional playback career was with a 2018 telugu film Needi Naadi Oke katha directed by Venu Udugula. “Hrudayam entha tapisthe” a climax background song which comes with the end titles has raised her career to the top this is no doubt. Every single audience sat in the theatre to listen to the song till the end titles finished. This was the scenario in every single theatre playing the movie. She was mistaken to be a bollywood singer but then after people realised she is a singer from our own telangana state and she being a telugu woman has amazed most of the people. The 2022 released film Virata Parvam starring Rana Daggubati and Sai Pallavi directed by the same director Venu stands as yet another breakthrough in her career.
Telangana’s first lady ghazal singer
Gazal as soon as we hear this we connect ourselves to bollywood and singers over there. But in the later era Sri C. Narayana Reddy has changed this to the fact that telugu gazals are also more soothing and enlightening to hear. This idea and interest towards the telugu ghazals has inspired swaroopa to take it forward and embrace people with her singing. As a first step she practised the SiNaRe gazals and sang in front of the person himself to know herself and if she could take it forward with the blessings of narayana reddy garu, surprisingly the diva himself blessed her saying she would have a bright future and reach great heights. This made her confident and builded her courage to take it forward and make people know the value of the telugu gazal and the prominence of it for that matter. There was no looking back for her as she performed from a local stage to an international stage which included countries like New York, Washington DC, atlanta, new jersey philadelphia and Qatar in Dubai and so on. The list still goes on and on.
Social activities and career growth
Socal activities has brought her career to even more heights and builded up her career even more stronger standing as yet another asset to her life. She has always wanted to help and encourage people with interest in music and give them the knowledge and even enlighten them with her songs. She taught many students who couldn’t afford the fee but had talent for free of cost and made them shine. She also performed in juvenile homes and central jails of telangana state and made the formers realise and move with her performance. As she always mentions the telangana state and its officials have always encouraged her in all such activities and helped in her career and recognition.
Awards, recognition, and notable works
From devotional music to film songs and Bathukamma celebrations, her work carries the same aim: to make music meaningful, memorable, and accessible.
A selection of honours received for her artistic and community contributions:
- Yuva gaayini puraskaram – Vani music academy (2010)
- Keerthi award – GVR Aradhana cultural association(2010)
- Women in excellence music award – SHE foundation (2013)
- Sangeetha ratna award – Rajyalaksmi arts theatre (2015)
- Uthama Gayakuralu (best singer) – Telangana state government (2015)
- Matru ratna award – Sri Alekhya Cultural foundation (2016)
- Stree shakti award – Kala sagar (2016)
- Stree shakti award – Telangana Reddy Ikya vedika – (2018)
- Gazal kokila award – shirdi sai seva trust (2018)
- Gazal kaumudi award – Writers association Prakasam district and Andhra Pradesh bhasha samskruthika sakha (2019)
- Gazal gaana saraswati award – Telugu Kala Samithi Qatar doha (2019)
- K.V Ramana excellency award – G.V.R Aradhana foundation cultural association (2019)
- Telangana ujwala mahila award – Sri Sai Shanthi Satya Seva Samithi (2019)
- Mahila Gazal award – American Telugu Association (ATA) (2019)
- Saradhamma award – American Telugu Association (ATA) and Entrepreneur (2019)
- Kohinoor Mahila shiromani – Telugu Television writers association and Bharat cultural academy (2019)
- Gazal gaana praveena award – Andra Arts Academy Vijayawada.(2020)
- Viswaputrika National Literary award (2022)
- Singidi cultural organisation distinguished award (2022)
- SiNaRe Gazal award – Komarraju Foundation (2022)
- Lalitha Kala srista award – Trilokya Arts academy (2023)