Lavanya Sundararaman is a

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. She received initial training from Poornapragya Rao, and went on to receive further training from her family of musicians.

Early life and family

Lavanya was born to Gayathri and Dr. R. Sundararaman. She is the great-granddaughter of the prominent

vocalist, D. K. Pattammal. She is also the great-granddaughter of Palghat Mani Iyer, 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 ...

maestro. Lavanya received music lessons during her childhood from her great-grandmother D. K. Pattammal. She is a disciple of her grandmother and noted singer

Lalitha Sivakumar Lalitha Sivakumar is a Carnatic music teacher and composer. She was known for vocally accompanying her mother-in-law and leading Carnatic vocalist, the late D. K. Pattammal, in concerts,. Lalitha Sivakumar is also prominently known as the mother ...

, her mother Gayathri Sundararaman, and is a niece and disciple of renowned singer

Nithyasree Mahadevan Nithyasree Mahadevan (born 25 August 1973), also referred to as S. Nithyasree, is a Carnatic musician and playback singer for film songs in many Indian languages. Nithyashree has performed in all major sabhas in India. She has released more tha ...

. Lavanya has completed her post-graduate and undergraduate studies in Music at Queen Mary's College, Chennai and is pursuing her Ph.D. in Music under the guidance of Dr. M. A. Bhageerathi.

Musical career

Touring

Lavanya has performed at major sabhas in India, particularly during the annual December music festival in Chennai. She has also presented songs and concerts in

the United States of America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguou ...

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Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

, and other destinations. Notable performances by Lavanya have included: * Concert with great-grandmother D. K. Pattammal, grandmother

, grandfather I. Sivakumar, and aunt

at 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 ...

in September 2000. * Thematic concert for Mangalam Ganapathy Trust in February 2008. * Concerts with aunt Nithyasree Mahadevan entitled ''Triveni Sangamam'' and ''Vellithirai Ragangal'' featuring Film songs in 2009. * Concert with grandmother Lalitha Sivakumar and aunt Nithyasree Mahadevan in tribute to great-grandmother D. K. Pattammal in 2010 to conclude 25th anniversary celebration for Youth Association for Carnatic Music. * Concerts in Mumbai in July 2011.

Television works

Lavanya has appeared in various television music programs to perform, including: * The ''Ragamalika'' music show on

Jaya TV Jaya TV HD is a Tamil language satellite television channel based in Chennai, India. Jaya TV HD is also broadcast to the expatriate Tamil community via various media partnerships. Hemant Sahai of HSA had Jaya TV HD as his first client. Jaya TV ...

in 2004 for a special

Tamil New Year Puthandu (), also known as Tamil New Year (), is the first day of year on the Tamil calendar that is traditionally celebrated as a festival by Tamils. The festival date is set with the solar cycle of the solar Hindu calendar, as the first day ...

program. * A special

Diwali Diwali (), also called Deepavali (IAST: ''Dīpāvalī'') or Deepawali (IAST: ''Dīpāwalī''), is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions such as Jainism and Sikhism. It symbolises the spiritual v ...

program telecast in 2009 on

Raj TV Raj TV is a Tamil language Indian general entertainment channel based in Chennai, India, which was launched on 14 October 1994. Rajtv became as the second most popular channel in Tamil. It is available through digital and mobile entertainment ...

. * Season 2 of Airtel Super Singer Junior for their Karthigai Special program in November 2009 on Vijay TV. * The ''Theanamudhu'' music program on

Makkal TV Makkal TV is a Tamil language TV channel. It was launched on 6 September 2006 and is promoted by Makkal Tholai Thodarpu Kuzhumam. Pattali Makkal Katchi leader Ramadoss S. Ramadoss (born 25 July 1939) is an Indian politician. He is the found ...

telecast in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

in 2013, 2014 and 2015. * ''Navarathiri Nayagiyar'' special music program telecast on

during the

Navarathri Navaratri () is an annual Hindu festivals, Hindu festival observed in honor of the goddess Durga, an aspect of Adi Parashakti, the supreme goddess. It spans over nine nights, first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calen ...

Festival in the year 2015

Discography

Lavanya has sung songs in

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

devotional and other-genre music albums, including: * ''Sai Lavanya Lahari'' for Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Prashanthinilayam, Puttaparthi. * ''Karunai Deivame'' for Giri Trading Agency. * ''Madurakali Amman'' for Mangalam Ganapathy Trust. * ''Triveni Sangamam'' DVD for Giri Trading Agency.

Titles, awards, and recognition

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sundararaman, Lavanya Singers from Chennai Living people Performers of Hindu music Indian women classical singers Women Carnatic singers Carnatic singers 1992 births Women musicians from Tamil Nadu 21st-century Indian singers 21st-century Indian women singers