Biography
Ramachandran began his career as a playback singer after being invited by the music director K. V. Mahadevan to record a song for the film Padmatheertham. His debut playback song "Kaarum Karutha Vaavum" was recorded when he was 20 years old. Successful in the film industry, he went on to compose and perform songs for films such as Daliyapookkal, Shreeragam , Valayam , Pedithondan, Chuzhalikkaattu, Dhanayathra, Nilavariyathe , and Vellaram kannukal.
Ramachandran 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. He has also composed numerous devotional songs for temples in Kerala and elsewhere. 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 on more than 10,000 stages all over India and the wider world.
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 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 has started and been involved with many charitable organizations.
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 from 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, bestowed "reverent honour" upon Ramachandran 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, in recognition of his contributions to Indian and Carnatic music.
He has received other honours, such as "Gandharva Gana Puraskaaram", "Nava Kerala Puraskaaram", and the most prominent "Ayiroor Sadasivan Puraskaaram".
Ramachandran is a top-ranked artist of All India Radio, Calicut.
He set the Guinness World Record for playback singing, performing continuously for 25 hours. [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]
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