Carnatic Vocal By Sudha Raghunathan: Events in Hyderabad

REVIEW FOR CARNATIC VOCAL BY SUDHA...

On the occasion of the 36th Pandit Motiram Pandit Maniram Sangeet Samaroh 2008, the Department of Culture, together with Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj, is organising a 4-day music festival, from 27th to 30th November, at the Nizam College grounds. Young and upcoming artistes will share the dais with some senior ones. Performers include sarangi player Sabir Khan, Carnatic vocalist Sudha Raghunathan, Hindustani vocalists Pandit Jasraj, Ratan Mohan Sharma, Hemang Mehta and Sanjeev Abhyankar, sitarist Niladri Kumar, Bharatanatyam dancer Subha Visweswaran, violinist Dr. N Rajam, renowned Mohan veena player Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, and tabla player Kumar Bose.

Today, on the inaugural day of the festival, Sudha Raghunathan from Chennai will perform the 2nd recital of the day - a Carnatic vocal performance. Raghunathan inherited an interest in music from her mother, Choodamani, and started her formal training at the age of 9. Later, she learnt from T V Viswanathan and B V Lakshman for a brief period.

She came under the tutelage of the illustrious Padmabhushan and Sangeetha Kalanidhi, Dr. M L Vasantha Kumari, in 1977, when she won a Govt. of India Scholarship given to young artistes for advanced training in music. With her encouragement, Raghunathan pursued music as a career, and also provided vocal support to Dr. M L V for a decade. She is considered Dr. M L V's 'vaarisu' by music lovers.

Sudha Raghunathan is a top-ranking artiste of the All-India Radio, Chennai, and performs regularly on AIR and Doordharshan. She has performed at concerts in all the major cities of India, besides undertaking concert tours all over the world. She won more than 250 awards and prizes, with the Kalaimamani from the Govt. of Tamil Nadu in 1993, the Padmasri from the Govt. of India in 2004, the Sangeetha Kalasagara in 2003, the Sangeetha Choodamani from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha in 1997, and the Isai Peroli and the VST Award for excellence from Karthik Fine Arts, ranking as her best ones.

In memory of his late father Pandit Motiram, and brother Pandit Maniram, Pandit Jasraj, in association with the Department of Culture, organizes an annual music festival at the Nizam College grounds, where his father and brother taught music to several students. The festival has been on for the past 35 years.

Entry to the samaroh is free. Please contact the Department of Culture at 2324-2482 for further details.