B. Shankar Rao (10 May 1922 – 13 September 2020) was an Indian

flautist The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

who specialised in classical

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

Biography

After obtaining his initial music training from his sister Smt. Balaamba he got the opportunity to learn flute from the flute mastero T. R. Mahalingam (popularly known as Flute Mali). His music was also influenced from his interactions with Veena Rajarayaru and Anooru Suryanarayana. Over the years he has enthralled audience both in India and abroad with his characteristic style of flute techniques reminiscent of Mali. Shankar Rao worked as a Post Master for most of his life but his passion for Carnatic classical music made him come home often from his place of posting. Finally he settled in Bangalore. He performed many flute concerts, both in India and abroad, and received many accolades and awards throughout his music career. The prestigious Rajyothsava award was conferred on him in the year 2008. He was instrumental in setting up and running the 'Prapancha', institution, which aimed to educate and influence young people about flute and classical carnatic music. Apart from teaching music and giving concerts he was also actively involved in research collaboration with Divakars speciality hospital in

Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

, aimed at studying the influence of carnatic music on human health. Shankar Rao died in Bangalore on 13 September 2020, at the age of 98.

Awards

Shankar Rao was bestowed with the title of 'Venugana Visharada' by

A. N. Krishna Rao Arakalagudu Narasingarao Krishna Rao (9 May 1908 – 8 July 1971), popularly known as Anakru, was an Indian writer. He is one of the best-known writers in the Kannada-language and was popularly known as ''Kadambari Sarvabhouma'' (''lit'', ...

, and was honoured with the honorific 'Sangeetha Kalarathna' by the Bangalore Gayana Samaja in 2002. In 2008, the Government of Karnataka awarded him the prestigious

Rajyotsava Prashasti The Rajyotsava Prashasti or Rajyotsava Awards, the second highest civilian honor of the Karnataka state of India are conferred annually by the Karnataka Government on the occasion of the establishment of the state on 1 November celebrated as t ...

for his achievements and services in the field of carnatic music. He was also awarded the " Vayoshrestha Samman" in October 2017 by the

President of India The president of India ( IAST: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces. Droupadi Murmu ...

Ram Nath Kovind Ram Nath Kovind (; born 1 October 1945) is an Indian politician who served as the 14th President of India from 2017 to 2022. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He is the second person after K. R. Narayanan, from the Dalit community ...

References

External links

The official site of B. Shankar Rao's music institute
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shankar Rao, B. 1922 births 2020 deaths Indian flautists Real World Records artists Recipients of the Rajyotsava Award 2008 Venu players