Carnatic Vocal By Manda Sudha Rani

Sharada Cultural Trust is organising its 21st Annual Cultural Festival of Music & the 164th Aradhana of Sadguru Sri Thyagaraja Swamy from 31st January to 6th February at Keyes High School. The 7-day festival will feature several renowned Carnatic musicians from all the country - T N Seshagopalan, N Vijay Siva, Rajani and Gayathri, Lakshmi and Subiksha Rangarajan, Manda Sudha Rani, and Balasai and U P Raju - providing a musical fiesta for the Carnatic music lovers of the twin cities.

Manda Sudha Rani from Vizag will be performing a Carnatic vocal recital on 4th February.

Sudharani is a young and renowned vocalist of Visakhapatnam. Born in Vijainagaram, she did her diploma in music in 1984 attaining distinction & 1st position, and her M A (music) in 1993 from Andhra University, Vizag. K Rangacharyulu and Seshumani imparted the early lessons to her, but her performing abilities and pervading music values have been crystallized by Ivaturi Vijayeswara Rao, himself a worthy disciple of the great Dwaram Narasinga Rao Naidu of Vijainagaram.

Sudharani's acumen in handling rare ragas like Malavi, Chenchukambhoji and Souvira has received acclaim and accolades from scholars and rasikaas. She rendered the entire text of the Prahlada Bhakti Vijayam of Thyagaraja in the ragas and talas mentioned therein in audio cassettes.

She was a recipient of the Cultural Talent Search Scheme Award from 1997 to 1983, and of the scholarship for young workers in various cultural fields from 1984 to 1987, both awarded by the Govt. Of India. She won the radio music competitions in 1980, becoming a casual artiste for the AIR, and soared to A-grade in 1987. She has performed under the aegis of SPIC-MACAY many times all over India. In 2006, she performed in eight cities of the USA.

The Sharada Cultural Trust is an all-women voluntary organisation that has been working for the last 19 years in the field of cultural activities. The programs conducted by the organisation include the annual music festival and Thyagaraja Aradhana, the annual music competitions, donation of rice to veda pathashalas, and donating money to the Sri Vidya School For Special Children and the Devnar School For The Blind.

Entry is free for everyone. Please contact Sharada Krishnan at 98851-44412 / 97034-44542 for further details.