Exclusive: Musician Dhruv Mittal's Leap From IIT Kanpur To Hollywood Fame Is All About Symphony To Success

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We live in a society that often values conventional paths and traditional success stories, however, there are some remarkable individuals, who choose to take a leap of faith and pursue unconventional careers.

These trailblazers venture beyond the expected, driven by passion, creativity, and a daring spirit that defies societal norms. They are the ones who dare to dream differently, breaking away from established trajectories to carve out unique and fulfilling professional lives.

In a Tête-à-tête with Boldsky, Musician Dhruv Mittal shares his journey from IIT Kanpur to Hollywood, opting out of predictable career tracks, taking risks, and achieving the ultimate symphony of success.

Dhruv has orchestrated a remarkable leap from technical formulas to musical scores, proving that the path to fame can be as unconventional as it is inspiring. His story isn't just about hitting the right notes; it's about composing a life that resonates with creativity and bold ambition.

Who Is Dhruv Mittal?

From growing up as a self-taught drummer in Kanpur, being a topper in Engineering from prestigious IIT Kanpur to moving to Hollywood, Los Angeles, seeking formal music education; and performing with world-renowned musicians; 25-year-old musician Dhruv Mittal has somewhat of a unique trajectory and outlook on becoming a full-time musician.

Specializing in instrumental funk/jazz-fusion drumming, Dhruv currently plays with the premier Hall & Oates tribute band, Private Eyes, guitarist Michael Sims (Dr. Dre, N.W.A) and singer-songwriter Atharva Phadke. He also does a bunch of session work in the local Los Angeles music scene and has previously performed with maestros Rahul Sharma and Ojas Adhiya, and with Lineage Performing Arts Center, Pasadena for their productions of the Broadway classic "Cabaret".

He is also a faculty member at his alma mater, Musicians Institute (MI), Hollywood, and is all set to embark on a midwestern-US tour later this year with Private Eyes.

Driven By Passion, Creativity And A Daring Spirit

Dhruv's introduction to music came through his father, Dr. Sanjay Mittal, a pioneering Aerospace Engineer from IIT Kanpur with recent breakthroughs in sports aerodynamics. "Not a lot of people know about his love for music and his love for woodwinds. He is THE reason I picked up playing music in any capacity," says Dhruv.

This was further fuelled by his guru, Dr. Devanand Pathak, with whom he trained on the tabla in Hindustani classical music. During his undergraduate days at IITK, he was extensively involved in pursuing his love and passion for the art, orchestrating and curating performances for the university music ensemble, as well as gaining significant recognition at the national level in the Indian college music scene with his projects at festivals like Mood Indigo (IIT Bombay) and Antaragni (IIT Kanpur).

He developed a knack for recording his own drum sounds, creating drumming-focused content for Instagram during the COVID-19 lockdowns, and collaborating with other musicians from across India. All this eventually made him realize his intense passion for music. Following in the footsteps of his idol, seasoned drummer Jai Row Kavi, and with the love and support of his family, Dhruv moved to the US in late 2021 to study Drum Performance at Musicians Institute (MI), Hollywood.

Technical Background That Enhanced Mittal's Musical Pursuits

Mittal was an ace student, graduating top-of-class from the Materials Science and Engineering Department, IIT Kanpur in 2020 with a publication in JMRT, an esteemed peer-reviewed journal in the field.

Apart from the knowledge gained from the engineering curriculum supplementing his expertise in understanding acoustics and equipment (all the way from tuning drums to exploiting microphones and software to record high-quality productions), he shares just how a professional work ethic and a robust hardworking mindset developed in the process still helps him with his musical projects - be it learning songs on the go, reading music, or analyzing and breaking down complex, mathematical segments of music into accessible chunks.

"I feel that an analytical approach to music goes hand-in-hand with the creative component." Recording videos for Instagram at his DIY studio in Kanpur, he gained significant popularity amongst musicians in India during the COVID-19 lockdowns and even got recognized by the giant Canadian cymbal manufacturer, Sabian.

Challenging Social Stereotypes

"People have gone so far as to say that I "wasted" a precious seat at IIT Kanpur because I ditched conventional career choices. My teachers were low-key disappointed when they got to know about my decision to pursue music," confesses Dhruv.

Dhruv's parents, who have been very firm, yet open-minded and supportive of his choices, inspired him to complete undergraduate-level education before pursuing music. His scientific inquisitiveness and love for Physics led him to IIT Kanpur, and being at IIT Kanpur amongst passionate and driven individuals led him to embrace music and the drums.

"I very highly believe in excellence, and in the fact that quality education is never a waste of resources. Oddly, being at IITK made me the individual I am today, and equipped me with the tools to try and navigate my way through the music industry, technically and otherwise. I am glad I got to go through that journey, and I take pride in the fact that I represent where I come from, in the Los Angeles music scene."

He is definitely not alone in feeling this way, as he is busy working on new music with his contemporaries from the same engineering background - Bharat and Unni, aiming for the record to be out in early 2025.