Mysore/Mysuru: Vidwan R.K. Srikantan Trust, Bengaluru and Ganabharathi, Mysuru, have jointly organised the birth centenary celebrations of legendary maestro Padma Bhushan, Sangeetha Kalanidhi late Dr. R.K. Srikantan and Mysore Maharaja late Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar along with R.K. Srikantan Centenary Felicitation Ceremony at Veene Seshanna Bhavan in Kuvempunagar on Mar.13.

Sri Vidya Prasanna Theertha Swamiji of Kukke Subramanya Mutt will inaugurate the event at 5 pm tomorrow. Ganakalabhushana Prof. R. Visweswaran will be the chief guest.

The following personalities will be honoured with the title ‘Kala Poshaka Shreshta’ along with a shawl, memento and citation: Dr. C.G. Narasimhan, President, Ganabharathi; K.V. Murthy, President, Sri Nadabrahma Sangeetha Sabha; Prof. K. Ramamurthy Rao, President, JSS Sangeetha Sabha and Vid. H.K. Narasimha Murthy, Secretary, Sri Thyagaraja Sangeetha Sabha, Mysuru.

Also, a book titled ‘Sampradaya Sangeetha Darshini’ and Live Concert CD of Vid. R.K. Srikantan will be released.

The evening also features Veda Gosha by Harave Balasubramanya and Ramesh Shastry; Welcome dance by M.S. Archana Bhat; Brief talk on life and achievements of Dr. R.K. Srikantan by his disciple Vid. Manasa Nayana; Screening of documentary on Dr. Srikantan; Neeraja Achyutha Rao will compere.

Following Music Concerts have been organised from 6.30 pm to 9 pm as part of the event:

Mar.13: Vid. Rudrapatnam S. Ramakanth – vocal, Vidu. Charulatha Ramanujam – violin, Vid. Jayachandra Rao – mridanga and Vid. G.V. Ramanujan – ghata.

Mar. 14: Padma Shri Awardees, Sangeetha Kalarathna Rudrapatnam Brothers (R.N. Thyagarajan and R.N. Tharanathan) – vocal, Vidu. Charulatha Ramanujam – violin, Sanjay Taranathan – mridanga and Vid. Raghunandan – ghata.

Artistes’ Profile

Vid. Rudrapatnam S. Ramakanth, a musician of national and international renown, hails from a distinguished family of musicians, familiarly known as R.K. Family from the village of Rudrapatna in Hassan. 

He took to Karnatak Music at a very tender age of 5 and his initial training in music was from father Sangeetha Kalanidhi Vidwan Dr. R.K. Srikantan.  Being an ‘A Top ’ grade artiste, he regularly performs on All India Radio and TV channels and has toured India and abroad extensively.

Rudrapatnam Brothers are an Indian Karnatak vocal duo, consisting of brothers R.N. Thyagarajan and Dr. R.N. Tharanathan, who come from a family of musicians from Rudrapatna village off the Cauvery Banks in Arkalgud taluk of Hassan district. 

They are grandsons of R.K. Krishna Sastry, a musician, Harikatha exponent, playwright and a Sanskrit and Kannada scholar. They are sons of R.K. Narayana Swamy, a disciple of Musiri Subramania Iyer, the doyen of Karnatak music. Their uncles are R.K. Venkatarama Sastry, R.K. Ramanathan and Sangeetha Kalanidhi Padma Bhushan Dr. R.K. Srikantan. 

They were initiated into Karnatak music and trained by their father. They began their concert career in 1956 and since then performed regularly around the world. They have the honour, as first Karnatak Vocal duo to receive the third highest civilian award Padma Shri – 2018.