“I’ve got students from all over the world,” says Vidya Subramanian, a Carnatic musician based in Chennai, who has been giving online lessons for the past six years. “I have students in Africa, the US, the UK and Australia.” .....Indeed, the practice has so many takers now that many music teachers, who once taught online only as part time exercise, have now opted to do it full time. For example, Subramanian, who is a chartered accountant with an MBA degree, has switched careers to focus solely on online teaching. She has even developed an extensive online network where aspiring music students can get in touch with the right teachers....

“Usually, I give a few free lessons to gauge the student, and then put him or her in touch with someone who would make a good teacher. We also have regular teacher training sessions.” ....

“There are a lot of factors that go into deciding the fees, though,” clarifies Subramanian. “For example, we wouldn’t want to turn away talented students just because they can’t pay the usual rate. Other factors include the standard of the student, whether it’s a one-on-one session, the standard of the teacher, and so on.”.......