Musician Shekhar Ravjiani, half of the popular composer duo Vishal-Shekhar, recently shared a deeply personal experience on social media, revealing that he lost his voice and was unable to perform at concerts two years ago. Diagnosed with Left Vocal Cord Paresis, a condition where the left vocal cord loses its movement or function, Shekhar opened up about his traumatic journey to recovery.
In a conversation with BT, Shekhar described the shock he felt when the condition surfaced. “I tested positive for COVID twice during the pandemic, but I recovered and resumed my normal life. However, in June 2022, I suddenly discovered that I could no longer sing. All that came out was air from my throat. I was stunned and terrified. The thought of a life where I couldn’t sing or perform frightened me,” he said.
The diagnosis of Left Vocal Cord Paresis left Shekhar in a state of disbelief. “At first, I thought there was no hope. But after a few weeks, I had to accept that this was something I had to deal with,” he reflected. Despite the emotional toll, Shekhar pushed himself to keep performing. “I had to put up a strong front and pushed myself harder at concerts. Mentally, I was in a bad state, but I didn’t talk about it and kept myself busy,” he shared.
Shekhar’s turning point came during a trip to San Diego for a project. A friend there suggested that he meet with a doctor who recommended vocal warm-ups and exercises to help restore his voice. “I learned that warming up your vocal cords is essential before every performance. If you don’t, your voice can suffer greatly,” he said.
Today, Shekhar is fully recovered and feels that his voice has improved. “I have healed and can sing even better than before,” he said, expressing gratitude to the doctors who helped him along the way. “I am sharing my experience now because I want people to learn from it and never lose hope,” he added. He also credited his spiritual faith, particularly his devotion to Lord Hanuman, as a source of strength during his recovery.
Shekhar’s story is a testament to resilience, and he hopes that by sharing it, others facing challenges will find inspiration to keep pushing forward.