Thirumarugal Natesapillai Rajarathinam Pillai (27 August 1898 – 12 December 1956) or TNR was an Indian

Carnatic music Carnatic music (known as or in the Dravidian languages) is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and southern Odisha. It is o ...

ian,

nadaswaram The ''nadaswaram'' is a double reed wind instrument from South India. It is used as a traditional classical instrument in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala and in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka. This i ...

''maestro'', vocalist and film actor. He was popularly known as "Nadaswara Chakravarthi" (literally, the Emperor of Nadaswaram).

Film career

He featured in the main role as the 16th century Tamil poet

Kalamegam Kaalamegam or Kālamēgam (Tamil: காளமேகம்; born Varathan), also known as Kavi Kalamegam was a prominent 15th-century Tamil poet. Born into a Vaishnavite family, he fell in love with a woman named Mohanaangi, who was affiliated wi ...

. He also appeared briefly as a Nadhaswaram player in the film Thiruneelakantar (1939 film).

Titles, honors and service

Rajarathnam Pillai was a recipient of many titles, none of them official or academic. He was popularly known as ''Nadaswara Chakravarthi'' meaning Emperor of Nagaswaram. He is believed to have promoted nadaswaram and tavil players for recognition as musicians in their own right and it is thought that his lead was recognised when the

Madras Music Academy Madras Music Academy is one of the earliest established music academies in South India. Before the concept of infrastructure was introduced to India in the early 1920s, it was a gathering for elite musicians simply called (and is still more ...

conferred the title of ''

Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sangita Kalanidhi () is the title awarded annually to a Carnatic musician by the Madras Music Academy. From 1929 to 1941, the award did not exist. The award was conceived in 1942 by Academy President K. V. Krishnaswami Iyer and on 1 January 1 ...

'' (doctor of music) on fellow

nagaswaram The ''nadaswaram'' is a double reed wind instrument from South India. It is used as a traditional classical instrument in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala and in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka. This in ...

exponent Thiruvizhimizhalai Subramania Pillai in 1956. In spite of his fame and following, there is no formal or official account of his life readily available in Tamil or another language.

References

External links

NATHASWARA OSAIYILE Documentary about TN Rajarathinam
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rajarathinam Pillai, T. N. 1898 births 1956 deaths Male Carnatic singers Carnatic singers Tamil musicians Nadaswaram players 20th-century Indian male singers 20th-century Indian singers Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award People from Mayiladuthurai district