Mysuru:  Sri Krishna Gana Sabha has organised a music recital by M.A. Jyothi at Sri Krishna Temple premises in Gokulam 3rd Stage here on May 17 at 6 pm and a dance recital by Vidu. Dr. P.M. Chethana Radhakrishna at Alwar Kala Bhavan on May 18 at 6.30 pm.

Artistes’ Profile

Jyothi is a seasoned musician, trained in Karnatak vocal and violin. She was initiated into music by her mother Neeraja Achuta Rao and as a child received all the encouragement to pursue music from her parents. Belonging to a family of musicians, she is the granddaughter of scholar-composer of Mysuru, H. Yoganarasimham.

Jyothi has given performances all over India, London and Switzerland. She has also performed for All India Radio and Television for the past 25  years.

Jyothi gave her first violin performance at the age of 16 and has to her credit, the experience of accompanying several senior artistes.

Jyothi began her violin lessons under the able guidance of Vid. M.N. Ganesha Pillai at Neyveli. Her violin playing and aesthetic sensibilities refined greatly when she came under the tutelage of violin maestro Guru Lalgudi Jayaraman and Vid. Lalgudi GJR Krishnan.

Jyothi learnt vocal music from Vidu. Dr. Sukanya Prabhakar of Mysuru. Later, Guru Vidu. Neela Ramagopal, Bengaluru, expanded her horizons greatly.

Jyothi’s albums include ‘A Day in the Life of Gokula’ and ‘Devagitam’, compositions of H. Yoganarasimham. She has also lent voice to several recordings and special features for AIR.

Jyothi runs a Music School, Srujana Kala Mandira, started by her mother Neeraja Achuta Rao, where she has been training students, both locally and abroad, for the last two decades and conducting workshops.

Jyothi is married to S.N. Prasad and is based in Mysuru. Jyothi has a Ph.D in Education and a MSc.Ed degree from the University of Mysore.

Dr. Chethana’s proclivities towards dance emerged from  her early days. Having inherited such cultural gifts from her traditional and cultural family background, Chethana practiced music and dance from respected Gurus. An ever-learning and researching, Chethana has now embellished her art into an aesthetic experience which expresses itself in all her choreography and performances.

Being a first rank holder in Vidwat and a gold medallist in BA (Performing Arts), Chethana has done Master’s in Bharatanatyam and Sanskrit. She has finished her ambitious and well-researched Ph.D thesis and has been awarded doctorate by Mysore University.

Dr. Chethana has received many accolades and honour for her various achievements in the field of performing arts. She is the proud recipient and UNESCO’s Nrityanveshika title, Kerala State’s Cultural Award, Nritya Kala Sindhu, Kalasree Koustubha Ratna, Guna Nidhi, Kadamba Kala Rathna, Karnataka Sangha Kalasaraswathi and many other titles and honours from reputed Foundations of Art.

Dr. Chethana, an expert choreographer, has to her credit many unique traditional and experimental ballets like Kaveri Vaibhava, Rituvaibhava, Sunami, Kala, Gokula Nirgamana, etc.

She conducts many seminars and cultural conclaves through ‘Gurudev Academy of Fine Arts’ which was established by her. Presently, she is serving as Bharatanatyam lecturer at KSGH Music and Performing Arts University, Mysuru.

She is married to Radhakrishna and they have two children — Medini and Mrinal.