Talking to us about the “tough phase”, Shekhar says, “Losing my voice was the most painful experience I have ever had in my life. Even thinking about a life where I wouldn’t be able to sing, the scariest. It was very difficult to remain positive when something so precious was taken away from me and there was only air in its place. It was very shocking and disturbing even today. think about it If I am, I shudder.”

Apart from taking a physical toll, this phase has also taken a toll on their mental health. “What I went through can quickly pull you into a very dark place. I remember feeling very sad and depressed at times. It was hard to see any light at the end of that tunnel. To make sure my family didn’t feel my pain, I had to put up a strong front at home and continue my work in the studio and push myself harder at concerts. Mentally I was a little disturbed. But I avoided expressing or talking about it,” says Shekhar.

The musician also posted a photo of Hanuman Chalisa along with his post. Ask her what apart from spirituality helped her recover, she said, “All the credit for my recovery goes to Dr. Erin Walsh, who I call my angel. She was unwavering in her commitment to ensure that I recovered from this setback and was confident that I would be able to work on my voice and restore it.

Even when I faltered, she stood firm and helped me keep my courage. My beautiful family also stood with me as my strength.”

Was there any specific treatment that helped? “Dr. Vocal exercises guided by Erin helped me get my voice back. And a big lesson was that vocal practice before getting on stage is extremely important. Otherwise, you could cause major damage to your voice,” he concludes.