BEATS AND BONDING Sukrish Vikas, a sophomore at Energy Institute High School, played the mridangam in the momentous “EPIC Choir” performance at the 2025 Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival. The festival is a grand and joyous annual celebration of the centuries-old classical “Carnatic” music traditions of South India. The event, featuring over 250 performers aged 5-60, was officially recognized as the largest Indian music choral ensemble ever assembled.