Biography
Ramachandran made his debut as a playback singer after being invited by the music director K. V. Mahadevan to record a song for the Malayalam film Padmatheertham. His playback debut song "Kaarum Karutha Vaavum" was recorded when he was twenty years old. Having found success in the film industry, he began composing and performing more songs for films such as Daliyapookkal, Shreeragam , Valayam , Pedithondan, Chuzhalikkaattu, Dhanayathra, Nilavariyathe , and Vellaram kannukal.
He has contributed to the preservation of Theyyam, a traditional art form of Kerala, by incorporating elements of its musical notations and rhythms into his compositions. Furthermore, he has composed numerous devotional songs for temples in Kerala and elsewhere.
Honours
In 1994, Kanhangad Ramachandran was honoured with a golden shawl by K. J. Yesudas during a performance at Guruvayoor Temple. [2]
He received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award for light music in 1996. [3]
In 1997, he was honoured with the title "Sangeetha Rathnam" by minister N.K Balakrishnan following a 25-hour long concert he performed at Durga High School, Kanhangad for peace and national integration.
He won the Award for Best Singer in 1997 by singing "Ini Namukkidiminnalaayi Pilarkkam" for the drama Charithram Avasanikkunnilla.
He won the Baburaj Award by the Kerala Moppila Sangeetha Academy in 2004 and was subsequently bestowed the Chand Pasha Award in 2012 and Raveendran Award in 2013.
In 2016, Mini Park, a cultural organization based in Cherukunnu, honoured Ramachandran's "reverent honour" for his contributions to music over 50 years. Ramachandran was presented with a Tampura and a golden shawl as an honour from Yesudas.
In 2017, he was given the title of "Sangeetha Kulapathi" by Perumchallur Sangeetha Sabha during a ceremony, awarding "Veerashrimkhala" by conferring the "Pattu and Vala" of Raaja Rajeswara temple, Taliparamba. In the same year, he also received a Doctor of Letters (DLitt) from the International Tamil University, USA, which recognizes his more than five decades worth of contributions to Indian and Carnatic music.
He has also received multiple other honours such as "Gandharva Gana Puraskaaram", "Nava Kerala Puraskaaram", and the most prominent "Ayiroor Sadasivan Puraskaaram".
Ramachandran is also a top rank graded artist of All India Radio, Calicut. He is very keen on encouraging people to take interest in Carnatic Music by means of his unconventional presentation style.
He has started and been involved with many charitable organizations.
In 2000, he composed and performed a song with K. J. Yesudas at the Kollur Mookambika Temple, marking a musical initiative promoting religious unity. The event has since gained prominence, with subsequent performances by various vocalists.
He performed Carnatic concerts for a whole day, during a Mahanavami celebration at Cherukunnu Annapoorneswari Temple and Mamanikkunnu Bhagavathi Temple. He has presented his concerts and ganamelas to more than 10,000 stages all over India and the wider world. He has appeared as a judge in various reality music talent shows, and also hosted a show titled "Bharatham", which aired on the Doordarshan channel.
Currently, he teaches classes on instruments such as the violin, veena, tabla, harmonium, guitar, keyboards, flute, jazz drums, and mridangam. In addition to this, he also runs the Vykhari Sangeetha Vidyalaya and Deekshith Recording studio in Cherukunnu, Kannur.
He set the Guinness World Record for playback singing, performing continuously for 25 hours without breaking. [4] [5]
As a singer
| Year | Movie | Composer | Song(s) |
|---|
| 1976 | Panineer Mazha [Unreleased] | M. K. Arjunan | Ente Manassu |
| 1978 | Padmatheertham | K. V. Mahadevan | Kaarum Karutha Vavum |
| 1992 | Aanachandam [Unreleased] | Vidyadharan | Khanikal Asulabha |
| Kamaladalam | Raveendran | Alaipaayuthey |
| Kingini (Kurinji Pookunna Neram) | Kannur Rajan | Malar chorum |
| Valayam | S. P. Venkatesh | Chambakamettile, Pulariyaay |
| 1994 | Raajasabha [Unreleased] | Raveendran | Prakrithi youvana |
| Share Market ['Unreleased'] | Raveendran | Aaromal saarangame |
| 1995 | Sreeraagam | Kanhangad Ramachandran | Chalamelera, Dudukugala, Kanakaangi swaravaahini, Neelakkadakkannil, Raavinte, Shambho, Sreegananaadha sindooravarnna |
| Sunny Scooter [Unreleased] | Johnson | Dhanyudevadu |
| 2007 | Vaamanapuri | Stilju Arjun | Prakritheeshwariyude, Sumadala Shobhitha |
[7]
