My Gurus

Smt. T.Brinda

Smt T. Brinda, born in 1912, was the grand-daughter of Veena Dhanammal and imbibed the great musical tradition of that illustrious family. She also received her music training under the famous Kanchipuram Naina Pillai and thus extended her vast repertoire of compositions.

She began to give public performances together with her sister Smt.T.Mukta at the early age of eight and was renowned for her exquisite and emotion-filled rendering of padams, javalis and rare krithis of the Trinity. Smt T.Brinda received a host of awards a few among them being the ‘Sangita Kalanidhi’ title from the Music Academy in 1976, the ‘Sangita Kala Sikhamani’ title from the Indian Fine Arts Society in 1973 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Vocal Carnatic Music in 1965.

She was Professor of Vocal Music for over two decades at the Central College of Karnatic Music , Chennai. She was also Visiting Professor in the University of Washington, Seattle, USA for a brief period. She passed away on 6 August 1996 at the ripe age of eighty-four.

Shri Bombay S.Ramachandran

Bombay S.Ramachandran, born in 1924, held the post of Professor of vocal music in the Shanmukhananda Sangeetha Vidyalaya for 35 years and rendered yeoman service to the musical fraternity in Bombay as an uncompromising and dedicated teacher.

He had his musical tutelage under Chittoor Subramania Pillai. He joined the Central College of Carnatic Music, Chennai in 1949 and took his ‘Sangita Vidwan’ title from that institution. He was awarded the title of ‘Sangita Kala Acharya’ from the Music Academy in 2000. He has to his credit, more than five books and publications in music. He passed away on 20 August 2013 at the age of eighty seven. ( Photo Courtesy: SAMUDRI Archives, The Sruti Foundation, Chennai )

Shri K.S Narayanaswamy

Born in 1914, K.S. Narayanaswamy learnt music under Maha Vidwan Sabesa Iyer, Sangita Kalanidhi Tanjore Ponniah Pillai and Vidwan Desamangalam Subramania Iyer. He was Lecturer in Annamalai University from 1937 to 1946. At the invitation of their Highnesses of Travancore, he took up Lecturership in Veena in the Swati Tirunal Music Academy and subsequently became its Principal. After this assignment, he went to Bombay and served as the Principal of the Sangeetha Vidyalaya of Shanmukhananda Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha from 1970 onwards. He was the recipient of many titles and awards and travelled widely in India and abroad. He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1968 and the Padma Bhushan and the Sangita Kalanidhi titles in 1977 and 1979 respectively. His soft and graceful playing in the gayaki style was unique and earned him great admiration from connoisseurs of music. He passed away in 1999 at the age of eighty five. (Photo Courtesy: Music Academy,Chennai)

Dr. Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan

Dr. Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, the violin maestro, was born in 1935 in, as the name suggests, Kunnakudi – an important Lord Murugan Kshetram of Tamil Nadu. His father Shri Ramaswamy Sastri, an erudite scholar in Sanskrit, Tamil and Carnatic Music was his guru. A great innovator, Shri Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, who hailed from a distinguished tradition, started blazing a new trail, presenting instrumental music at fast tempo, combining classical with light music and providing high entertainment value. Shri Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan joined HMV in 1963 as music director and scored the music for nearly two thousand devotional songs. He received Best Music Director awards for several Tamil Films in the 1970s. Acknowledged for his expert artistry on the violin and his creative manodharma, his playing traversed three octaves with great ease, effortlessly making memorable music.

Winner of more than 200 awards and titles like ‘Padmashri’, ‘Kalaimamani’, ‘Isai Perarignar’, ‘Nadabrahmam’ and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, he was a multifaceted artiste with the enviable capacity to please pundit and layman alike. Widely travelled and known for his administrative acumen, he held important posts in the Sri Thyaga Brahma Mahotsava Sabha, Tiruvaiyaru; the Eyal Isai Nataka Manram, Chennai; and was the founder President of Raga Research Centre, Chennai.

He passed away on 8th September 2008 at the age of seventy three.