Mysore/Mysuru: Sri Thyagaraja Sangeetha Sabha Charitable Trust, Mysuru, will be observing Shyama Shastry’s Day and pay tributes to the musical Trinity, on May 17 at Sri Vidyabharathi Prarthana Mandira, Sri Chandramoulishwara Temple, V.V. Mohalla, Mysuru.

Musicians and music students will render Shyama Shastry’s compositions from 9 am to 10.30 am. This will be followed by a vocal concert by Vidu. Dr. R.N. Srilatha, showcasing the compositions of Shyama Shastry accompanied by Vidu. Dr. Veena Suresh on violin, Vid. G.S. Ramanujam on mridanga and Vid. V.S. Ramesh on morching.

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Vidu. Dr. R.N. Srilatha hails from a family of eminent musicians of Rudrapatnam, belonging to the shishya parampara of Thyagarajaswamy. Her father Vid. R.K. Narayanaswamy (brother of Sangeetha Kalanidhi R.K. Srikantan), who was a disciple of Vid. Musiri Subramania Iyer, initiated her into music and later she was guided by her brother Padma Shri Vid. R.N. Thyagarajan, one of the distinguished vocalists of Rudrapatnam Brothers-fame.

Dr. Srilatha has the distinction of being the first lady from Karnataka to get Ph.D in Karnatak Music. She is an eminent guru with mastery over both lakshya and lakshana. Her expertise in ‘Shastra’ is reflected in a number of her scholarly publications.

Dr. Srilatha was the Head and Professor of vocal music at the University Fine Arts College, Mysuru. An ‘A’ Top graded artiste of AIR and Doordarshan, she had performed in the national and other slots of AIR/ DD and also in major Sabhas at home and abroad, including the Madras Music Academy, Mysuru Dasara etc.

She had won many laurels and major among them are: 6 prizes from the Madras Music Academy, Karnataka Kalashree, Ganakala Bhushana and Ananya  Shastra Kousthubha.