PROFITE OF THE AWARDEES Sri S.V. Ramakrishnan Sri 5.V. Ramakrishnan or SVR, born on August 23, 1930 to a musicatly inctined Parents, has had a deep love for Carnatic Music since chitdhood. His Mother Smt. Kaveri, was musicalty gifted with a sweet voice and a wide repertoire of songs in Tetugu. lt was through her and his musicalty gifted sister Hemavathi, who [earnt from Mudicondan Sri Venkataramana lyer that SVR devetoped a tove for c[assical music. SVR since his school days was inctined to singing and acting popular musical ptays of that years. After his studies SVR joined in the Reserve Bank of lndia in 1953. During his official assignment, where he was posted at various cities in lndia, he pursued his ardent love for Carnatic Music by becoming member of leading sabhas and attending as many concerts. He has heard atl great musicians of the gotden era of Carnatic Music, by which SVR gained knowtedge in music to be abte to appreciate atI the nuances of it. He retired as DGM from NABARD in 1988, and settted in Nanganallur in 1995 where he soon got invo[ved in cuttural activities. Even after retirement, SVR's thrust to music had resutted in formation of the sabha Sri Krishna Fine Arts Society in 1999, which was inaugurated by Sangeeta Katanidhi, Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa lyer. After serving as the society's treasurer for many years, SVR has been its secretary for the past '10 years. The society has been hotding monthty concerts without a break for these past 19 years apart from Sri Krishna Jayanthi festivat for 5 days and a competition for school chitdren in Carnatic vocal music at two levets which has gained poputarity over the years. The Sabha is conducting Tyagaraja Aradhana as wett as Dikshitar and Syama Sastri Jayanthis for the past few years as welt as thematic concerts around other composers such as Sri Oothukkadu Venkatasubaa lyer, Sri Purandara Dasar and Annamacharya. He atso organized birth centenary concerts for GNB, Madurai Mani lyer and Dr. M S Subbatakshmi. He continues his enthusiastic service for Carnatic Musicwith the support of his famity. SVR'S daughter Dr. Lakshmi Sreeram is an accomptished performing Vidhushi both in Carnatic and Hindustani stytes. 5mt. Varalakshmi Anandakumar Born to a musicatty inctined Parents, Varatakshmi had her earty training in music from her aunt Smt Maragatham Ramaswamy, presentty heading the Ragamatika schooI of music in Washington, U.5. Then she came under the tutetage of Sangitha Katanidhi (Late) Sri D. K. Jayaraman for advanced training and became one of his senior most disciptes. She has atso tearnt from Vidwan Sri P.5. Narayanaswami and is presentty learning from Vidwan sri Srimushnam Raja Rao from whom she has had the opportunity to learn scores of Dasarpadams. Varatakshmi has been giving concerts atI over the country and at atl the sabhas in Chennai in addition to programmes [ike the NationaI Programme of Music at the AlR, Doordarshan and at the Nada Neerajanam programme of the TTD. She has atso done a project on Deities and DevotionaI aspects in Thiruppugazh Hymns, sponsored by the Department of Cutture, Government of lndia, which was guided by Vidushi Smt Shyamala Venkateswaran. She has received several prizes and awards like Tambura prizes at competitions inctuding the Rajaji Tambura at the TamiI lsai Sangam for compositions of Gopatakrishna Bharati, Best Vocatist from the Music Academy and Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Award of Excettence from Hamsadhwani. Varatakshmi has brought out a book 'Janaranjakam', a notated compitation of the 'hits' of her guru Sri D. K. Jayaraman., which was pubtished by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. She is in the process of bringing out a second volume. A protific writer, she has been a regular contributor to many music magazines inctuding Layamani Layam of Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani. She was a [ong time Trustee of the Shanthi Arts Foundation and Endowments (SAFE). Presentty she, atong with her fettow discipte Smt Durgga Venkatesh runs the Ramapriya Arts Foundation in Chennai. Varatakshmi hotds a PhD degree in French and is presentty hotding the post of Associate Professor at the Queen Mary's Cotlege. she had the privitege to give a lecture demonstration on our Ctassical music at Poitiers, France as welI as at many lnternationaI Conferences for French. Kunnakudi Sri M. Balamuralikrishna Kunnakkudi M. Batamuralikrishna, a poputar Carnatic musician currently, was E initiated to music by his father, ,7 Sri Meenakshi Sundaram, who is a E musician and an eminent teacher. He V- later had advanced training under Sri Neyveti Santhanagopalan and Sri V. Sundaresan. He then came under the tutetage of Padma Bhushan Sri P.S. Narayanaswami. Balmurati has enthratted audiences atl over lndia and many countries around the globe. Awards and accotades have fottowed young Batamurati during his musical journey. He is currently under the Sangeet NatakAkademi Schotarship Scheme after receiving the Advanced Training Scholarship' from the DePt. of Culture, Govt. of lndia. Batamurali is an accomptished mridangist as welt. After training under Nagai Sri Bashyam, he is now under the guidance of Guru Kaaraikudi Mani. This rare feature has hetped him appreciate the intricacies of rhythm from a young age. Batamurali is anArtiste, who makes frequent visits to foreign countries for concert tours. His music is totally personal and innovative yet, ]/ithin the strict parameters of tradition, which is of a different cadence, rarely found in musicians of his age. He is currentty pursuing Masters in Music after completing Post- Graduation in Commerce. Sri A. S. Ranganath4n Aged 58 yeaB, haiting from a musicat famity, Sri Ranganathan was initiated to Mridangam at the tender age of 5 by his father Late A.K. Sundaram lyer' Sri Ranganathan then came under the tutetage of Vidwans Trichur Sri Parameshwaran Namboodhri and Metakaveri Sri Krishnamoorthy. Had advance training under Kataimamani Tiruvarur Sri Bhakthavasattam for more than 15 years' sri Ranganathan had got through the vADHYAVISHARADHA course in Mridangam through Tamil Nadu Government Music Cotlege. Presentty ptaced in 'A grade' in AIR & Doordharshan, he has been accompanying a galary of att teading and promising young artistes for more than 4 decades. He conducted a workshop at Japan for 6 months and travetted widety within lndia and many foreign countries such as Japan, Singapore, Hongkong, Mexico, Dubai, UK, USA, Sritanka, Mataysia, Muscat and so on for concert series and on teaching assignments. sri Ranganathan is the proud recipient of several awards strch as Bata Nandhishwara Tilakam, Sunadha Sukataya Jyothi, Kanchi Kamakoti Asthana Vidwan, laya Kata ViPanchee. Aduthurai G Guruorasadh Aduthurai Sri G Guruprasadh had his eartier training under Kumbakonam Sri K Swaminathan and came under the tutetage of Sangeetha Choodamani Mannargudi Sri A. Easwaran. He is a commerce graduate from D.G Vaishnav College and M.A degree in Rhythmotogy from Madras University and currentty pursuing M.Phit in Music. Sri G. Guruprasadh has performed in various Sabhas and accompanied severaI senior musicians for their Carnatic performances. He has been the Prize Winner in RR Sabha, Trichy Nationat LevetMusic Competition. He was awarded 'Promising Young Tatent of the Year -2018 from Sri Kartikeya Gana Sabha, Secunderabad. He had been the btessed with the opportunity to perform with his Guru Mannargudi Sri A Easwaran in his Mridangam Concert with his disciptes in Nadaneerajanam programme, TTD. Kum. P. Akshava Born in '1996, Kum, Akshaya has started learning viotin at the tender age of 10. She has passed M.A. (Music) from Madras University with Distinction and presentty pursuing advance course at The Music Academy, Madras. She has come under the tutelage of Viotin Vidwan Sri V.L.Kumar during 201 1 and is parattety learning vocat from Smt. Usha Bharathwaj and Dr. S. Sunder. Kum. Akshaya is presently performing concerts with several promising young artistes of her age and forms part of Namasankeerthanam atong with Smt. J. B. Keerthnaa & herTeam. Visit us @ www.spbs-in Kumbakonam Sri. M.R. Gopinath Born on 25th February 1961, hails from a music famity, his Father being a renouned Mrudanga vidwan Kumbakonam Sri.M.V. Ramamurthy. sri Gopinath started learning viotin and voca[ music at the age of eight from Late Kataimamani Shri B. K.Viswanatha Sharma, eminent viotinist of Tamitnadu. Sri Gopinath started accompanying tegends of carnatic music of yesteryears and promising young artistes of the day from the year 1978 onwards. He has successfutty compteted 35 years of MusicaI journey. Sri Gopinath received several awards [ike 'Kanchi kamakoti Asthana Vidwan', 'Viotin Vadhya Bhairavi', 'Nadha Laya Sironmani', 'Madura Murati Puraskar', Best Senior Viotinist Award from The Music Academy, Sri Krishna Gana Sabha and The lndian FineArts Society. Sri Gopinath has travelted gtobatty with renouned musicians [ike Mandotin U. Srinivas, Sri.Sanjay Subramanyam, Sri S.Sashank. He has been serving as a STAFF ARTIST OF ALL INDIA RADIO, CHENNAI for past 3 decades and hotds aTOP-GRADE inAlR and DD. Sri H. Sivaramakrishnan Aged 61 years, is a Senior Ghatam Artiste of the day. Sri Sivaramakrishnan had his initiat training from Vidwan Madurai Sri A.Krishna lyengar and tater came under the tutetage of Ghatam Maestro Vidwan Sri T.H.Vinayakram. Sri Sivaramakrishnan is an A Grade Artiste of At[ lndia Radio and Doordharshan. He has been accompanying at[ Senior and promising young Artistes on the Ghatam for more than 2 decades. Sri Sivaramakrishnan toured Sritanka and U55R to accompany sangitha Kalanidhi Prof.T. N.Krishnan for his violin performances. received several awards like Sri.Nadakkanat', Sivaramakrishnan 'Asthana Vidwan of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt, 'The Best Ghatam Ptayer - Senior'from the lndian Fine Arts Society, Maharajapuram Santhanam Memorial Award, Nadha Brahmam Trust Award, Gokhutashtami Award from Sri Thyagabrahma Gana Sabha. 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