Rudrapatna Krishnashastri Srikantan (14 January 1920 – 17 February 2014), known as R. K. Srikantan, was a vocalist of the

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 ...

al tradition of

South India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...

n music. He was awarded 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 ...

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 ...

in 1995.

Early life

Srikantan was born to a Sankethi Brahmin family in Rudrapatna,

Hassan district Hassan is one of the districts of Karnataka, 31 districts of Karnataka, India. The district headquarter is Hassan, Karnataka, Hassan. It was part of ''Manjarabad Faujdari'' between 1832-81 (Mysore Commission, Commissioner's Rule of Mysore). In ...

Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...

, on Makara Sankranti day, 14 January 1920. His father R Krishnashastri was an

orator An orator, or oratist, is a public speaker, especially one who is eloquent or skilled. Etymology Recorded in English c. 1374, with a meaning of "one who pleads or argues for a cause", from Anglo-French ''oratour'', Old French ''orateur'' (14 ...

, singer of '' Gamaka (storytelling)'',

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes play (theatre), plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and is intended for Theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Readin ...

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...

, and a '' harikatha vidwan''. His grandfather, Narayanaswamy of Bettadapura, also known as Veena Narayanaswamy was a Veena instrumentalist and a contemporary of Veene Sheshanna and Veene Subbanna. RK Srikantan with his wife

Education

Srikantan went to Sadvidya Pathashala and Banumaiah High School in

Mysore Mysore ( ), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of Mysore district and Mysore division. As the traditional seat of the Wadiyar dynasty, the city functioned as the capital of the ...

. Later, he obtained his BA degree from the Maharaja College, Mysore.

Training

His father Krishnashastri was Srikantan's first tutor and he moved to Mysore after his wife's death. Later, Srikantan was mentored by his brother R. K. Venkatarama Shastri, a violin player who often accompanied M S Subbulakshmi. Srikantan also received training from veteran musicians like Veene Subbanna and Chowdiah.

Excellence

Srikantan was an avid attendee at all concerts in

during the era of the

Wodeyar The Wadiyar dynasty,() also referred to as the Wadiyars of Mysore (also spelt Wodeyer, Odeyer, and Wadeyar), is a late-medieval Indian royal family of former maharajas of Mysore from the Urs clan originally based in Mysore city. The Wadiya ...

s. Srikantan during those days was highly influenced by the ''

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 ...

vidwans'' of his time. He was also highly influenced by maestros of the likes of

Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer Semmangudi Radhakrishna Srinivasa Iyer (25 July 1908 – 31 October 2003) was an Indian Carnatic vocalist. He was the youngest recipient of the Sangeetha Kalanidhi awarded by the Music Academy in 1947, a distinction he holds to this day a ...

, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar,

Musiri Subramania Iyer Musiri Subramanian Iyer (9 April 1899 – 25 March 1975) was a Carnatic vocalist whose stage performing career spanned the 1920s to the 1940s. After retirement from the stage, he remained an iconic figure in Carnatic music as a dedicated teach ...

, G N Balasubramaniam and Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer. Srikantan's singing is characterised by ''sahitya shuddham'' (correct pronunciation and diction) and ''shruti shuddham'' (refinement of pitch).

Awards

Among the award received by Srikantan are: * Central

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 ...

by the Government of India in 1979. * State Sangeet Natak Akademi Award by the Government of Karnataka in 1981. * ''

'' Title from the

in 1995. * ''Kanaka-Purandara'' Award by the Government of

. *

Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan (IAST: ''Padma Bhūṣaṇa'', lit. 'Lotus Decoration') is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 Januar ...

Award by Government of India in 2011. * Sangeet Natak Akademi Tagore Ratna in 2012. * ''Sangeetha Prabhakara'' Award in 2013 * ''Nada Vidya Bharati'' Award in 2012 by Visakha Music and Dance Academy. * ''Sathguru Thyagaraja Hamsadhwani'' Award in 2011 * ''Gana Bhaskara'' Title by Annavasathi Sangha, Bangalore in 1947. * ''Best Teacher'' Title by the Bangalore city corporation in 1973. * ''Ganakala Praveen'' Title by the Guru Seva Mandali, Bangalore in 1976. * ''Karanataka Sangeeta Ratna'' under the joint auspices of Sri. Parthasarathy Sabha, Forum of music lovers and Saraswati Gana Sabha, Bangalore in 1978. * ''Gayakachoodamani'' Title by the Tulaseevana Sangeetha Parishath, Trivendrum, in 1983. * T.T.K. Memorial Award by the Music Academy, Madras in 1983 as the best Musician. * ''Haridasa'' Award by the Purandara Pratishthana, Bangalore in 1991. * ''Palant Subramanya Pillai'' Award by Percussive Art Centre, B'lore in 1992. * Chowdaiah National Level Award by Academy of Music, 1994. * ''Saptagiri Sangeetha Vidwanmani'' by Thyagaraja Trust, Tirupathi, 1994. * ''Karnataka Rajya Sangeetha Vidwan'' Title by Government of Karnataka in the year 1994.

Teaching

Srikantan rendered teaching programs on the radio (On Amruthavarshini 100.1 FM).

Death

Srikantan died on 17 February 2014 after a brief illness.

Disciples

Some of Srikantan's disciples include his son R S Ramakanth, B. K. Anantha Ram (Flutist), M. S. Sheela, T. S. Satyavati, R. A. Ramamani, M. T. Selvanarayana, Amith Nadig and H. K. Narayana. His daughter Rathnamala Prakash is also his disciple, who achieved fame and success in Sugama Sangeetha or light music. MusicalNirvana - R K Srikantan
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References

External links

R.K. Srikantan turns 93
{{DEFAULTSORT:Srikantan, R. K. 1920 births 2014 deaths Male Carnatic singers Carnatic singers People from Hassan Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Sangeetha Kalanidhi recipients Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in arts Maharaja's College, Mysore alumni 20th-century Indian male classical singers