His sister is a psychiatrist, who has a leaning towards music as well, and who has helped co-author all the lyrics of Gaurav's album College Days.

This MBA graduate decided not to go in for a high-paying corporate job, but to record an album of his own songs instead. It wasn't easy, though -- in the beginning, most people didn't take Gaurav seriously at all. He was considered more an MBA graduate than a musician. However, he stuck at it and has reached a level so that the same people who doubted him earlier now know his songs and sing along to them.

But with success there have been downsides too and for Gaurav, that downside has come in the realisation that his personal life hasn't been insulated from his success. "My personal life has changed, to be honest. As a person, I haven't changed -- I'm the same guy I was in college. But some relationships have changed, sadly. I don't have the time I used to have to for fun stuff back then. I now spend 80 percent of my time doing something related to my field," says this musician.

While he didn't use his MBA in the conventional way, Gaurav doesn't think his degree was a waste at all. In fact, he believes it actually helped him negotiate the deals and sponsors he got for himself. He also has a few nuggets of advice for young people trying to break into this field. He feels that a common mistake newcomers make, is to try and copy someone else, which never works because record labels are looking for a new sound, not a copy of an old one. He also feels that Indian brands aren't ambitious enough -- aiming only to play gigs at local nightclubs like Blue Frog and Hard Rock, instead of reaching for the stars.

"If you have a band, you need to work on your image seriously. The image includes the band name, how you look on stage, the music you make...you know. In India, the look and style isn't given much importance. Look at the West -- Led Zeppelin, Jim Morrison etc. A shabby looking band cuts a poor figure on stage," he explains. "Also, you need to be innovative and do what you want to do right then. If I had waited to work for a few years and save some money, I would have ended up in my 30s, and missed my target audience completely. So I'm glad I started this right after IIM. Today I have a record deal, an album, experience and age on my side. Be ambitious -- just go for it all the way!"

Text: Insiyah Vahanvaty | Photographs courtesy: Gaurav Dagaonkar | Video: Hitesh Harisinghani

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