Building a movement for music education

Life after school: when one door closes

When I scored 52% in my class 12 exams, life after school felt uncertain. The doors of college were closed; none would take me in. I was filled with self-doubt and disappointment, unsure about what my future held.

It was during this period that I stumbled upon Manzil Welfare Society in Delhi, founded by Ravi Gulati, an IIM Ahmedabad alumnus. Unlike conventional institutions, Manzil didn’t measure me by my marks. The first question they asked was, “What do you want to learn?” That question changed everything.

Discovering music, discovering myself

At Manzil, I found myself drawn to music. However, what I discovered went far beyond notes and rhythm. Music became my teacher in patience, discipline and listening deeply. It helped me learn to collaborate and reflect. It showed me who I was and who I could become.

Through music, I gained the confidence to learn English, computers and public speaking. More importantly, I began to believe that I had a gift worth nurturing. That belief led to extraordinary opportunities, including a 100% scholarship to study in the United States, where I pursued marketing and sales at Edmonds Community College, WA, USA, and later, a master’s in social work from IGNOU.

Music as a path to growth

Music has not only given me direction but a way of understanding life. For me, music has never been just a passion. It has become my compass.

It gave me my voice, literally and metaphorically. It has helped me express myself and create an identity. It has also taught me collaboration. In the process, I have learnt that harmony is born when we truly listen to each other.

The journey has also made me resilient. Every missed note has taught me persistence. The songs of Kabir Das and Gandhi have grounded me in the values of compassion and simplicity. Music didn’t just give me a career. It has given me purpose, a sense of belonging and a way to serve.

From band to foundation

What began as a group of young dreamers singing songs of Kabir and Gandhi soon evolved into something much deeper. Along with my peers, I co-founded Manzil Mystics. We realized our music was not just performance; it was transformation. In 2017, we registered Manzil Mystics Foundation with the vision to ensure that every child in India receives at least one hour of music education every week.

Today, through the Learning Through Music (LTM) program, we work with thousands of children across government and low-income schools. Here, we use music to nurture empathy, confidence and critical thinking. Our Music Fellowship trains young musicians from underserved backgrounds to become educators. This helps in fostering dignified livelihoods while keeping India’s oral traditions alive.

Reflections on working with youth

Working with youth has been one of the most rewarding and revealing aspects of my journey. I have learned that after-school spaces can either be moments of confusion or transformation. Many young people, especially from marginalized backgrounds, face deep uncertainty after finishing school. They often lack both career guidance and self-belief. At Manzil Mystics, we have witnessed how music becomes a bridge between confusion and clarity.

Take Raghvendra, for example. His passion for music was always there. However, with his family’s income of just 15,000 rupees and a loan of six lakh rupees, he wasn’t sure if he could turn it into a career. Joining Manzil Mystics’ Fellowship, he explored teaching, sound operation and artist management. With newfound confidence, Raghvendra applied to TuneCore, one of the world’s largest music distribution companies. Today, as a content manager, he earns rupees 50,000 per month. His journey from uncertainty to success is inspiring hundreds of young musicians who, like him, now dare to dream big through education and community support at Manzil Mystics.

Then there’s Alkama, a young girl who joined our Gully Choirs batch reluctantly. Over time, she began writing songs about her society, her journey, turning her personal struggles into powerful rap. Today, she’s a rapper sensation on social media, using her voice to challenge stereotypes and inspire other young women to speak their truth.

Through these journeys, I have realized that our role is not to ‘fix’ youth but to trust them, to offer them safe spaces to explore, fail, and grow. When young people are heard and seen, they often create paths that even they didn’t imagine for themselves.

At Manzil Mystics, we see youth not as beneficiaries but as co-creators. Our goal is to build a community that values both individuality and collective harmony. The power of music lies not only in melody but in the act of listening, and that is what our work with the youth embodies.

Conclusion

What once seemed like a dead end after school became, for me, an open field of rhythm, melody and meaning. My story, and that of hundreds of young people I now work with, shows that marks do not define destiny, opportunities and relationships do.

Working with the youth in their after-school phase brings both joy and challenges. Many face economic instability, limited exposure and the social pressure to ‘succeed quickly’. It’s easy for them to lose direction or hope. The absence of mentors, guidance and mental health support often leaves them caught between ambition and anxiety.

But these challenges also reaffirm why our work matters. Creating safe, creative and value-based spaces where young people can grow emotionally and artistically is not optional, it’s essential. Our biggest task is to build ecosystems that allow them to take risks, discover themselves and redefine what success means.

Through Manzil Mystics Foundation, I continue to work toward a vision that every young person in India, no matter their background, can find in music what I once found: a sense of self, a sense of belonging and a song that gives life meaning.