A select group of people were provided a musical treat by legendary classical Carnatic musician M. Balamuralikrishna, on Saturday at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
President Pranab Mukherjee graced the event, which lasted a little over an hour. Dr. Balamuralikrishna sang six classical songs, including Vande Mataram , Omakarakarini (Lavangi Raga) ,Robindro Sangeet, Prayang Raya Das (Raga Sindhur Bhairavi) and a Thillana in Raga Brindavani.
He left the audience spellbound with his various compositions. He was assisted by Muthu K. Krishna Kumar, R. Sridhar, Mannargudi N. Subramanium and P.S. Raja.
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Dr. Balamuralikrishna is the State musician of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh and the ashthana vidwan of Sringeri Peetam and Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam. He is also an Executive Committee Member of the Kalakshetra Foundation, the ICCR and the Central Sangeet Natak Academy.
He is the only South Indian artiste who, on invitation, sang Tagore’s Robindro Sangeet in All India Radio to preserve it for posterity. He has received several awards including the Padma Shri and the Padma Vibhushan, Knights of the Order of Arts and Letters awarded by the French government.