'Quitting Indian Idol was my decision': Priyanka

She is 17 years old. She was, according to the judges, a 'package deal' the top contender for the crown of Indian Idol --- she chose to leave it all, the name, the fame and the celebrity status that came with it, to pursue her education. Meet Priyanaka Venkateshwaran, the girl who had the guts to give up all the glitz and glamour, to reach for the stars in her own way, in her own time! We ask her if this was her own decision or a decision that was made due to parental pressure, Priyanka says, "I have participated in many contests, but they have never clashed with my studies. I want to complete my studies and then embark on a career in playback singing." But, she says that if she had not dropped out, she would have had a good chance of making it to the top three. Priyanka had participated in Star Plus' Kya Masti Kya Dhoom and Kuchh Kar Dikhaana Hai, she won both, and then took Indian Idol on Sony as her next challenge. Keen on doing her MBA, Priyanka seems too young to decide her future, but this gutsy lady tells us that completing her education is topmost on her mind at the moment. Ask her about her journey in Indian Idol, she visibly brightens up and says that it was the most memorable time of her life. "I enjoyed my celebrity status completely," she says. But surely, to quit when she was the top contender for the title must have been hard --- "Yes, it was, but then you've got to do what you've got to do!," says this youngster, who seems mature for her age. She tells us about a special moment when away from home, her fellow contenders celebrated her birthday in style --- "Rahul Saxena, Vishal, Ronkini and Omkar, composed a song for me and sung it on the piano," says Priyanka, who is still in touch with her friends from the contest. She is hoping that all of them will get good offers and make it big in the industry. Life will never be the same for this girl who wooed both the judges and the crowd with Sunidhi Chauhan's Pyar to hona hi tha in her first audition, and followed it up with dil ko hazar bar roka roka roka from Murder. Priyanka is now being recognised in street corners and she is an inspiration for all those who want to be make a mark for themselves --- but on their own terms!