Healing through harmony: Dipak Pawar launches free music therapy sessions for mental wellness

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

In a quiet corner of the city, the sound of harmonium keys is bringing solace to troubled minds. Visually impaired musician Dipak Pawar has begun offering free weekly music therapy sessions, aimed at helping people cope with stress, anxiety, and emotional trauma. These sessions are conducted every week at his music academy near the Shivajinagar Flyover.

Music therapy is a non-invasive method that uses rhythm, melody, and sound to restore emotional balance and mental clarity. The initiative is already drawing participation from youth, working professionals, and senior citizens people seeking relief beyond medication. But Dipak’s path to becoming a healer through sound was far from easy. Struck by a rare and untreatable disorder during his teens, Dipak gradually lost his vision. “I tried allopathy and many alternative methods, but nothing worked,” he recalls. Depression and emotional trauma followed, made worse by financial hardship his father was a company worker, and the family struggled to make ends meet. Yet one thing remained constant: his passion for music. With his brother’s support, Dipak found healing in the harmonium his refuge, and eventually, his identity. Today, he is a renowned harmonium player, singer, composer, and keyboard artist, known for blending Indian classical and fusion music. Over the past 18 years, he has trained students from across India and abroad. “Music is my vision now. It helps me express what my eyes can’t see,” says Dipak, with quiet strength. His journey stands as a living example of how music, when paired with determination, becomes more than art it becomes medicine.