Madurai N. Krishnan

Madurai N. Krishnan
Madurai N. Krishnan
Born	31 October 1928; Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
Died	9 October 2005 (aged 76); Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Other names	Madurai Narayanan Krishnan Iyengar
Occupation(s)	Vocalist, lyricist, composer
Known for	Carnatic music
Awards	1970 UNESCO Award; 1981 Kalaimamani; 1987 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award; 1992 Padma Shri; 1999 Sangeetha Kala Sikhamani; 2003 Padma Bhushan;

Madurai Narayanan Krishnan (1928–2005) was an Indian musician, known for his proficiency in carnatic music. He was known to have been proficient in all the three facets of music viz. vocals, lyrics and music and was considered by many as a Vaggeyakara. The Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in 1992 and followed it up with the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award, in 2003.^[1] He was also a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, UNESCO Award and the Kalaimamani Award.

Biography

Madurai N. Krishnan was born on 31 October 1928 in Madurai,^[2] in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu to Narayana Iyengar, a Harikatha performer and Sanskrit scholar, in family of musicians.^[3] His elder brother, Madurai N. Srinivasa Iyengar, was a known violinist and renowned musicians, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar and Ramanathapuram Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar were relatives. His early music training were under the tutelage of his father and elder brother before his formal training at Tamil Isai School, Karaikudi.^[4] Later, he learned music under Ariyakudi for 18 years in the gurukuala way, staying at Melavoor. His debut performance was at Tirupati where renowned musicians, Palghat Mani Iyer and Vellore G. Ramabhadran performed as accompanists.^[5]

Krishnan's oeuvre includes music compositions for dances as well as for literary works such as Thiruppavai, Naalayira Divya Prabhandham and Thiruvasagam.^[4] His proficiency in the three facets of music viz. vocals, lyrics and composition earned him the moniker, Vaggeyakara.^[6] Several notable dancers including Sudharani Raghupathy and Chitra Visweswaran have performed Krishnan's compositions and he also served as the director of Shree Bharatalaya, an academy he co-founded with the former in 1965.^[3]

Krishnan died on 9 October 2005, at the age of 76, at Chennai, succumbing to kidney ailments.^[7] He was survived by four daughters, his wife having predeceased him.^[8] Shri Krishna silambam an eponym of Madurai.N.Krishnan was started by his grand daughter and disciple R.Sudhalalxmi in the year 2014.

Awards and honors

Krishnan, an 'A Top' grade artiste of the All India Radio, received the UNESCO Award in 1970 and the Kalaimamani of the Government of Tamil Nadu in 1981.^[8] He was chosen for the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1988^[9] and he received the fourth highest Indian civilian award of the Padma Shri in 1991.^[1] The Government of India followed it up with the third highest civilian award of the Padma Bhushan in 2003.^[10] In between, the Indian Fine Arts Society conferred the title of Sangeetha Kala Sikhamani in 1999.^[8] He also held the title of Gaana Padmam of the Brahma Gana Sabha.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b "Padma Awards". Padma Awards. Government of India. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
^ ^a ^b "A conversation with Madurai N.Krishnan". Carnatica.net. 25 November 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
^ ^a ^b Aruna. S (25 November 2018). "A tribute to Vidwan Madurai N. Krishnan". www.kutcheribuzz.com. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
^ ^a ^b "Vidwan Madurai N. Krishnan passes away". www.kutcheribuzz.com. 25 November 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
^ "Madurai N.Krishnan, a multi-faceted artiste". www.sify.com. 25 November 2018. Archived from the original on 25 November 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
^ "Madurai N Krishnan is no more". dna. 10 October 2005. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
^ "Profiles – A SPIRIT FLOWS INTO THE GREAT BEYOND... Composer Madurai N Krishnan passes away". www.narthaki.com. 25 November 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
^ ^a ^b ^c "National : N. Krishnan passes away". The Hindu. 10 October 2005. Retrieved 25 November 2018.^{[dead link‍]}
^ "SNA – List of Awardees". sangeetnatak.gov.in. 25 November 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
^ "Sonal Mansingh, Aamir among Padma awardees". Rediff. 25 January 2003. Retrieved 25 November 2018.