Nidumolu Sumathi (born 16 October 1950), also known as Dandamudi Sumathi is an Indian percussionist, primarily playing the
mridangam
The ''mridangam'' is an ancient percussion instrument originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is the primary rhythmic accompaniment in a Carnatic music ensemble. In Dhrupad, a modified version, the pakhawaj, is the primary percussion in ...
. She is married to "Mridangam Maestro" Dandamudi Ramamohan Rao. She is one of the first female mridangam players in India, and the first female Laya Vinyasam artist. Sumathi received India's fourth-highest civilian award,
Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
, in 2021.
Early life
Dandamudi Sumathi Ram Mohan Rao was born on 16 October 1950 in Eluru, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. Her parents were Sri Nidumolu Raghavaiah and Smt.Nidumolu Venkataratnamma. At age six Sumathi started learning mridangam from her father who was a
mridangam
The ''mridangam'' is an ancient percussion instrument originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is the primary rhythmic accompaniment in a Carnatic music ensemble. In Dhrupad, a modified version, the pakhawaj, is the primary percussion in ...
vidwan
In Hindu philosophy ''vidvān'' alludes to an expert in discrimination, to the one who is an expert in the Vedanta.
A ''vidwan'' (or ''vidvan'') is a person who has '' vidyā'' (knowledge) of a particular science or art. This term is usually used ...
. He took her to concerts and supported her interest in percussion. She gave her first performance at age 10. In 1964, after completing a certificate and diploma course in mridangam, she studied under Sri Dandamudi Ram Mohan Rao. She learned many intricate techniques from her guru and started giving performances.
In 2003, she became an "A-TOP" grade artist of
All India Radio
All India Radio (AIR), also known as Akashvani (), is India's state-owned public broadcasting, public radio broadcaster. Founded in 1936, it operates under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), Ministry of Information and Broa ...
. She was the first female mridangist to achieve this grade. She and her spouse became the only A-TOP grade mridangam duo and gave laya vinyasam concerts. She rose from an accompanying artist to become a solo performer. Many of her programmes were broadcast/telecast. Synchronizing left and right, she plays with mellifluous melody with excellent balance in sruthi and laya.
She accompanied artists including M.S.Subbalakshmi,
Chittoor Subramaniam Pillai
Chittoor Subramanyam (22 June 1898 – 18 Oct 1975) was an Indian carnatic musician.M.Balamurali Krishna, Pt.
Bhimsen Joshi
Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi (; ; 4 February 1922 – 24 January 2011), also known by the honorific prefix Pandit, was one of the greatest Indian vocalists in the Hindustani classical tradition from the Indian subcontinent. He is known for the ''kha ...
N. Ramani
Natesan Ramani (15 October 1934 – 9 October 2015), commonly known as N. Ramani or N. Flute Ramani, was an Indian Carnatic flautist. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1996. Ramani is also credited with introducing ...
, and U.Srinivas.
In 2000, she established Laya Vedika, an organization promoting the mridangam, conducting competitions for students, and conferring the title "Laya Praveena" to accomplished vidwans. In 2011, Nidumolu and her organization unveiled a bronze statue of Sri Ram Mohan Rao in Tummalapalli Kshetrayya Kalakshetram,
Vijayawada
Vijayawada ( ), formerly known by its colonial name Bezawada, is the second largest city and a major commercial hub in the Andhra Pradesh state of India. The city forms an integral part of the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region and is situated on th ...
on the first anniversary of his death. In
2015, she conducted a program named Satha Mridanga Vadya Nivali, as a tribute to her guru/husband with a group of 100 mridangam artists for the first time. This program appeared in records of Telugu Book of Records.
Personal life
She married her guru Sri Dandamudi Rama Mohan Rao.
Recognition
She received many awards and was celebrated in many sabhas. She received the Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademi award from the
President of India
The president of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) 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, and the commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the Indian Armed ...
in 2010—the only lady mridangam artist to receive it. She was honoured with "Ugadi Puraskaram" from the government of
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...
in 2015.
The Government of India awarded her the "Padma Shri", India's fourth highest civilian award, in 2021.
Awards and honours
*Best Mridangist Award from
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 ...
, twice in 1974, 1976
*Palani Subramania Pillai Memorial Prize from Music Academy in 1985
*Best Mridangist Award from Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai in 2005
*Best Citizens of India Award from International Publishing House, New Delhi in 2008
*Kendra
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IAST: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recogni ...
for the year 2009
*Guruvayur Dorai Trust Award from Guruvayur Dorai Trust, Chennai in 2013
*Ugadi Puraskaram from the government of Andhra Pradesh in 2015
*Palani Subramanya Pillai Memorial Award in 2016 from Percussive Arts Centre, Bangalore in 2016
*
Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...