Being a ward or sibling of a celebrity is unenviable as you will always be subject to comparison – sometimes unfair, with the famous one. Twenty three-year old violinist Akkarai Sornalatha did face the problem of comparison with her famous sister Subhalakshmi, but in the last two years she has largely emerged from her sister’s shadow. Of course she still worships her sister who is also her role model but her prolific concert opportunities and rigorous practice have given her sufficient confidence to create a niche of her own in the music field. Her cherubic doll-like presence on stage does not take away from the solid accompaniment she provides to the main artists, some of whom are quite senior to her in age and experience. She has already accompanied, among others, such accomplished artists like Chitravina Ravikiran, Hyderabad Sisters and Gayathri Venkataraghavan.