Eminent vocalist and mridhangam exponent T.V. Gopalakrishnan, popularly known as TVG, has been chosen for this year’s Sangita Kalanidhi award of the Music Academy.
“The executive committee of the Academy on Sunday unanimously chosen T.V. Gopalakrishnan for the Sangita Kalanidhi title and to preside over the 88th annual conference of the Academy on December 15,” said N. Murali, President of the Music Academy.
“I deem it a great privilege to be honoured by the premier institution dedicated to the service of music and dance,” said the 82-year-old TVG, a disciple of Chembai Vaidhiyanatha Bhagavathar. TVG is from Tripunithura in Kerala.
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TVG’s father Viswanathan was himself a musician and he learnt mridhangam from his uncle Narayanasamy Iyer at the age of six and began accompanying the legendary Chembai when he was only eight.
“I also learnt Hindustani on the advice of Chembai,” said TVG, who came to Chennai in 1951 and became a close friend of Sirkazhi S. Govindarajan, another renowned musician. But even before his arrival he had performed for the All India Radio (AIR) in 1949.
As a percussionist he had accompanied several great musicians including G.N. Balasubramaniam and Madurai Somasundaram.
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“Late M.M. Dhandapani Desikar listened to my mridhangam playing and asked to me accompany him,” recalled TVG, who later groomed many musicians both in the Carnatic and film music world.
Music directors Ilayaraja and A.R. Rahman, drummer Sivamani, singer Deepan Chakravarthi, saxophone player Kadri Gopalnath, violinist Vadararajan and ghatam player Suresh are his students. The late T.V. Vasan, a ghatam player, was his brother.
“As a disciple I am really happy to know about the award. Music Academy has decided to honour the right person at the right time,” Mr. Ilayaraja told The Hindu .
TVG has lent his voice to scores of film songs and two memorable songs where one can listen to his humming are ‘Anthi Mazhai Pozhikirathu’ (in the film Raaja Paarvai ) and ‘Vizhiyile Mani Vizhiyil’ ( Nooravuthu Naal ). In the film Kann Sivanthal Mann Sivakkum , he rendered many songs.
Mr. Murali said TVG would be conferred the award on January 1, 2015, at the Sadas.
He said the Natya Kala Acharya Award would go to eminent Bharatanatyam exponent Leela Samson. The award will be presented at the inaugural function of the Dance Festival on January 3, 2015 here.
The Sangita Kala Acharya award will be given to vocalists Mangad Natesan and Alamelu Mani. Vocalist Malladi Suribabu and Naama Sankirtanam exponent Udaiyalur Kalyanaraman will get the T.T.K. award, named after late Union Finance Minister T.T. Krishnamachari. Padma Murthy has been selected for the musicologist award.
The Pappa Venkataramiah award for violin will be given to Lalgudi Rajalakshmi.