Keli Vaadya Kalaapeedam, the leading percussion academy in Kuwait celebrated its annual day on 8th May 2019 at Olive Auditorium, Abbassiya. Guru Sreenadh Neeleshvaram presided the function which got inaugurated by chief guest of the evening, famous musician and social worker, Manoj Mavelikkara. Both the Gurus of Keli Vaadya Kalaapeedam along with their parents joined him to light the lamp. Guru Sreerag Neeleshvaram addressed the audience recollecting the journey of Keli from its inception. Sushanth Kozhikode (percussion artist) and Ratheesh Kumabalath (student) delivered the felicitation speech. Parents of Guru Sreerag and Guru Sreenadh were honored by the students of Keli at the function.

Later, Sreenadh Neeleshvaram and Sreerag Neeleshvaram together introduced various traditional percussion instruments of Kerala like Chenda, Idaykka, Komp, Ilathaalam etc. with a live demonstration on sound variations produced by these instruments. Kamal Radhakrishnan welcomed the gathering while Muralidharan Nair proposed the vote of thanks. ‘Panchari Melam’ performed by the Gurus along with the students of Keli attracted the audience.

Keli Vaadya Kalaapeedam was inaugurated on the Vishu Day of 2017 offering training on traditional percussion of Kerala. The training pattern that is strictly based on the traditional framework makes Keli unique. Gurus of Keli, better known as ‘Neeleshvaram Brothers’, Sreerag and Sreenadh fall into the legacy of famous Kerala traditional percussion artist Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar.