777 Keyboard Players Ring in Guinness Feat

Hyderabad: Hyderabad added another feather to its cap by breaking the Guinness World Record for the largest electronic keyboard community. Certificates were distributed to the participants on Thursday, after which the entire team gathered at Osmania University College of Arts ground to celebrate the achievement.

The record was achieved by 777 participants aged between eight and 80. The group included students, housewives and retirees.

The record attempt was made on February 2. Nearly 2 thousand musicians attended the event in the first stage. After detailed evaluation, Guinness World Records shortlisted 777 keyboard players who simultaneously performed Sarali Swaralu, the fundamental exercises of Carnatic music, on their keyboards.

Gurram Rhema, one of the organisers, said: “There was tremendous enthusiasm among all the musicians leading up to the record attempt. Each participant put in countless hours into the event.”

Sarali Swaralu constitutes the fundamental exercises of Carnatic music and is used to develop finger dexterity and pitch accuracy.

Participants included St. Paul High School III. Harshit Shaun, a first year student, was also present. His mother said, “Music has always been a part of our home and we wanted our son to learn an instrument. He started learning the keyboard in Grade 2, and being a part of the Guinness World Record is a proud and unforgettable moment for our family.”

Augustine Dandingi Venugopal, who spearheaded the initiative, said that nearly 10,000 musicians were trained within the scope of the project, with participants from 22 countries. The final 777 artists were selected based on the quality of the one-hour performance.

Pramila Rani, a housewife from Sainikpuri, said, “I learned the keyboard and participated in this event within three months. This is an incredible moment for me. I wanted to learn the piano or any similar instrument since my childhood. I started learning the keyboard in March 2025 and I feel lucky to be a part of the Guinness World Record within a year.”