Krishna gets Sangita Kalanidhi for using music for social reform
The executive committee of The Music Academy, in a meeting held here on Sunday, decided to confer its annual awards on artistes including TM Krishna.
TM Krishna and Neena Prasad will receive their awards in January
CHENNAI: The Music Academy on Sunday named renowned Carnatic musician Thodur Madabusi Krishna, popularly known as TM Krishna, for the Sangita Kalanidhi award, lauding him for using music as a tool for social reform.
In the dance category, Neena Prasad will be conferred the Nritya Kalanidhi award. A top-ranking exponent and performer in Mohiniyattam, she runs the Bharathanjali Academy of Indian Dances (which she established) at Thiruvananthapuram and a centre for Mohiniyattam in Chennai.
The executive committee of The Music Academy, in a meeting held here on Sunday, decided to confer its annual awards on artistes including TM Krishna, Professor Parassala Ravi, Geetha Raja and Thiruvaiyyaru brothers.
President of The Music Academy, N Murali, in a press release, said: “A writer with analytical books on music to his credit, Krishna has received several awards for his music, his writing and his championing of social causes.”
The musicologist award will go to Margaret Bastin, principal of St Joseph’s Arts and Science College for Women. Her presentations on Thevaram (Shaivite scriptures) and the works of Vallalar Ramalinga Swamigal (reformist Tamil saint) and ancient Tamil music are widely popular.
In the music category, Professor Parassala Ravi (V Raveendran Nair) and Geetha Raja will be conferred the Sangita Kala Acharya award. Ravi has taught at several music colleges in Kerala and has authored books on mridangam. And, Geetha is actively involved in teaching devotional music.
Thiruvaiyaaru brothers – S Narasimhan and S Venkatesan – and, HK Narasimhamurthy have been named for the TTK Award under the same music category. The brothers have been the repositories of the music of the Melattur Bhagavata mela tradition. Narasimhamurthy is a noted concert accompanist, a guru and an organiser.
Krishna will preside over the academic sessions of the 98th annual conference and concerts of The Music Academy to be held between December 15, 2024 and January 1, 2025. He will receive the award, together with those selected for the Sangita Kala Acharya, the TTK and the Musicologist awards on January 1, 2025.
Neena will receive the award at the inauguration of The Music Academy’s 18th Annual Dance Festival on January 3, 2025.