Carnatic music has survived contrary to all the gloom and doom that was predicted. New artistes are added, new labels released and new sabhas are born every year. If Carnatic music is still heard all over the world and makes an emphatic and grand statement of survival each year during the annual December season, it is because of a few great artistes who bore the art form aloft amidst crisis and threats. A colourful lot, much has been written about their art and the way they presented it. But very little has been written about their lives and their lifestyles, which must have had a significant bearing on their art. All of them were powerful personalities in their own right. This book looks at the lives of a select group of twenty such artistes who were at the forefront for most of their lives as top ranking performers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR V. Sriram
Born in England on June 22, 1966, Sriram had his early schooling in Madras and then in Calcutta. His bachelors in engineering from the College of Engineering, Delhi, in 1987, was followed by a masters in business administration specializing in marketing and advertising from Delhi University. Sriram then moved on to a varied career in marketing and advertising before joining his family business in Chennai. Carnatic music has been a passion for Sriram since the age of six, when his grandmother began to teach him the basics, in the family puja room. This, combined with a great interest in history, has led him to study the art form to depth with special reference to its great personalities. In 1999, Sriram, along with Sanjay Subrahmanyan, the eminent Carnatic Vocalist, set up
www.sangeetham.com, a website devoted to spreading awareness about Carnatic music and its heritage. During the December music season in Chennai, Sriram conducts heritage walks in the city covering locations connected to Carnatic music. Besides being a frequent contributor on the Fine Arts in Madras Musings and the Indian Express, he has co-authored a quiz book on Carnatic music. Since 2004, he has also been the Contributing Editor of Sruti, the classical music and dance magazine. Sriram is married to Sarada, an entrepreneur in the field of education. They have two sons, Avinash, aged 9 and Abhinava, aged 7.
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