R. K. Damodaran

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R K Damodaran
Born (1953-08-01) 1 August 1953 (age 71)
Kochi, Kerala, India
NationalityIndian
Title Poet, lyricist, composer
SpouseRajalakshmi
ChildrenAnagha
Website rkdamodaran.com

R. K. Damodaran (born on 1 August 1953) is a poet and lyricist [1] who has worked predominantly in the Malayalam movie industry. He also worked as a journalist in Mathrubhumi from 1982 to 2013. He has written lyrics for almost 3,600 songs in devotional, political, environmental, drama and light music genres, including two Sanskrit songs. He has worked in more than 100 Malayalam films [2] [3] and written songs like "Ravivarma Chithrathin", "Thalam Thettiya Tharatt", "Manjil Chekkerum", "Sukham", "Chandrakiranathin Chandanamunnum", "Thani Thankakkinapponkal" and "Pakalppoove".

Contents

Career

Damodaran, from Manjapra in Ernakulam district, studied BA Malayalam at [[Maharajas College, [4] Kochi]] and Sanskrit language at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Kochi. He entered the film music world in 1977, when he was a second year BA student at Maharaja's College. His first song was "Ravivarma Chithrathin Rathi Bhavame" for the 1978 movie Raju Rahim (recorded on 2 November 1977 at AVM-C Theatre, Chennai). He soon made a name for himself in the Malayalam movie industry. During a career spanning over four decades, [5] he has written 118 film songs and worked with music masters like Dakshinamurthy, Devarajan Master, M. S. Viswanathan, Ilayaraja, Arjunan Master, Johnson, Raveendran, Syam, S. P. Venkitesh, Jerry Amaldev, Perumbavoor G. Raveendranath, Vidyadharan, Mohan Sithara, T. S. Radhakrishnan, Vidya Sagar, K.P. Udayabhanu, M. Jayachandran, Deepak Dev and Berny-Ignatious. The film Cleopatra , released in 2013, ws his last film. [6]

Besides writing lyrics for Malayalam movies, he also published four books. Two were collection of his poetry, Athunathanam and Kadharaavaneeyam. The other two were devotional song collections namely Amme Narayana and Aravana Madhuram. He also wrote two dramas, Poorapparambu and Kannakiyude Mula. He has also learned to play the chenda, Kerala's traditional percussion instrument, from Babu Kanjilasseri of Kozhikode.

Damodaran was selected as a member of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy during 2001 to 2004 which is run by the government of Kerala. Since 2012, he has been an executive member of Bharat Bhavan which is under the Department of Culture, government of Kerala. He has been an executive member of Samastha Kerala Sahithya Parishad since 2016.

Personal life

Damodaran was born to Manjapra Kothanath Chirayil Kalathil Ramankutty Nair, a government employee by profession and Palakkad Pallatheri Kappadathu Puthanveettil Kalyanikkutty Amma on 1 August 1953 in Kochi. He was named after his paternal grandfather, according to the then-existing customs. He is deeply influenced by the fertile cultural landscape of his family place. He married Rajalakshmy (a native of North Paravoor), who was his classmate at Maharaja's College, on 7 June 1985. They have a daughter named Anagha (b. 1986). They are currently[ when? ] residing at Kochi, Kerala. [7]

Awards

These are some of the awards and achievements in the career life of R. K. Damodaran.

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References

  1. ↑ Suresh, Meera (9 November 2017). "R K Damodaran: Four decades of finest verses". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  2. ↑ "List of Malayalam Songs written by RK Damodaran". www.malayalachalachithram.com. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  3. ↑ "Exclusive biography of #RKDamodaran". FilmiBeat. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  4. ↑ "'Sahityavedi' held at Maharaja's College".
  5. ↑ "40 years of RK Damodaran". 2 November 2017.
  6. ↑ "ക്ലിയോപാട്രയുടെ വിശേഷങ്ങളുമായി ആര്‍.കെ ദാമോദരന്‍". www.mathrubhumi.com.
  7. ↑ "R K Damodaran". rkdamodaran.com.
  8. ↑ "Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi announces Kalashri awards". The Hindu. 10 November 2013 – via www.thehindu.com.
  9. ↑ "Pavakulathamma Award for R K Dhamodharan". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
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