Alappuzha man quits IT job after 20 years to join Kerala Kalamandalam as teacher

Thrissur: For Erikkavu N Sunil, a 49-year-old IT professional, life in the tech industry offered a “class” life. Now, having stepped away from that world, he is ready to embrace a “classic” one, immersed in the rhythms of traditional music.

After serving as a management expert with several multinational companies, including Ernst & Young, Sunil has made a career shift by joining Kerala Kalamandalam as an Assistant Professor of Mridangam, a percussion art. Despite having held top positions in various firms within Technopark over a span of 20 years, Sunil voluntarily retired at the peak of his career to return to his lifelong passion.

Sunil now teaches mridangam to students across the globe, conducting online classes for disciples in Europe, America, Australia, and beyond.

A native of Erikkavu Paramittathu, Sunil began learning mridangam at the age of four. A shining presence at school youth festivals, he honed his craft under the tutelage of the legendary Mavelikkara Velukutty Nair. After Class 10, he moved to Thiruvananthapuram in an effort to pursue advanced training in mridangam alongside his formal education.

He earned an undergraduate degree in Physics from Mar Ivanios College, followed by a Master’s in Computer Applications from the College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram. During his student years, Sunil was a consistent performer and achiever, winning gold at the National Inter-University Youth Festival and securing the top spot in the Kerala University Arts Festival for four consecutive years.

Over the years, he has performed alongside classical music legends such as Neyyattinkara Vasudevan, Madurai G S Mani, Dr K Omanakutty, and Sreevalsan J Menon, among others. He is also a recipient of several prestigious awards, including recognition from the Chembai Trust.

Parallel to his artistic pursuits, Sunil built a successful career in the IT sector, working with global firms such as Ernst & Young and D&H Solutions. At the time of his retirement in 2021, he was serving as the Director of IT Operations at Netpromedia, an Italian technology firm.

Sunil is also the author of Resounding Mridangam, an English-language book that is currently used as a reference text in multiple universities. His journey to Kalamandalam began when he came across a UGC job notification for a faculty position. With a deep-rooted desire to share his knowledge, he applied and joined the institution wholeheartedly.

This marks a first in the history of Kerala Kalamandalam that a professional from the IT sector stepped into the traditional stronghold of classical arts.

His wife, Indu, is a project manager at Technopark. Their sons, Bhagat and Bharat, are also following the musical path.