 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(September 2017) |
Dr Shobana Vignesh is an Indian classical and devotional vocalist and a former actor. She is known as 'Mahanadhi' Shobana from her role in the film Mahanadhi .
Shobhana was born in Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu to N. Kumar and Revathi Kumar and raised in Chennai. Her maternal family has worked to preserve the Bhagavata Mela tradition in the Village of Tepperumalnallur in Tamil Nadu.
Shobhana attended the Padma Seshadri School in Chennai.
Shobhana started training in Carnatic music at a very young age. She has been trained by Sri. P.S. Narayanaswamy, Prof. T.R. Subramaniam and Sri. Swamimalai Janakiraman.
Shobhana regularly performs during the Chennai December music season at concerts and on television. She regularly performs at ‘Narada Gana Sabha’, ‘Sri Krishna Gana Sabha’, ‘Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha’, ‘Bharat Kalachar’, ‘Chennayil Thiruvayaru’, and ‘Margazhi Mahotsavam,’ she makes an annual pilgrimage to Saint Thyaragaraja's Samadhi at Thiruvaiyaru and participates in the Thyagaraja Aradhana festival.
Shobhana has performed throughout India, the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, Mauritius and Sri Lanka. She is often featured by leading Television channels in India and other countries and has been performing concerts for the past two decades.
Shobhana made her recording debut in ‘Mahanadhi.’ She released her first solo album at age 12 and has since then released more than 150 albums ranging over 1,500 songs by the time she became a teenager.
Shobhana has recorded albums in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Sanskrit, Braj, Marathi, Hindi, English and Baduga. She was nominated for the Global Indian Music Awards, Mumbai in 2010 for her album, ‘Shobana Live in Concert – Bharat Kalachar’.
Shobhana has sung in movies including Mahanadhi (Tamil), Mahanadhi (Telugu), Aravindan, Punniyavathi, Kannedhire Thondrinaal, Azhagana Natgal, and Kanave Kalaiyadhe.
Madurai Thirumalai Nambi Seshagopalan is a noted Carnatic singer, musician and composer. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 2006. As well as being a master of the veena and harmonium, he is an exponent of harikatha.
Chennai Music Season is an event hosted every Mid November–January in Chennai Tamil Nadu. Spanning some 9 weeks, it comprises top-flight professional and amateur musicians. The traditional role of the Music Season is to allow aficionados of Carnatic music to appreciate performances by renowned artists, and to allow promising young artists to display their talent and skill. Audiences and artists come from across India and her diaspora to enjoy the season.
Sikkil Mala Chandrasekhar is a noted South Indian carnatic flautist. Mala Chandrasekhar was born to a musical family.
Sanjay Subrahmanyan is a Carnatic musician and vocalist from Chennai, India. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 2015.
Sudha Ragunathan is an Indian Carnatic vocalist, singer and composer. She was conferred the Kalaimamani award by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 1994, Padma Shri (2004) and Padma Bhushan (2015) by the Government of India, and Sangeetha Kalanidhi by Madras Music Academy in 2013.
Sheik Chinna Moulana, popularly known as Sheik, was a legendary nadhaswaram player in the Carnatic tradition. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1998. He achieved high position through his outstanding control over the instrument, rendering the Krities in the Gayaki style and for his extraordinary style of Raga Alapana.
Nithyasree Mahadevan, 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 than 500 albums. She is best known for her rendition of the A. R. Rahman composition, "Kannodu Kaanbadhellam" - her playback debut song in the Tamil movie Jeans.
Sirkazhi Govindarajan was an Indian Carnatic vocalist and a leading playback singer of Indian cinema.
Thiruvaarur Bakthavathsalam was born on November 25, 1956, in the Tanjore district of Tamil Nadu, India. He comes from a family of traditional musicians and is a renowned mridangam Vidwan. In 2021, he was awarded the prestigious Sangeetha Kalanidhi award by The Madras Music Academy.
Gayathri “Kalaimamani” Girish is a Carnatic vocalist. She undertook an archival project titled “Azhwargalum Amudha Tamizhum” to render the Azhwar Pasurams on DD Podhigai television every week for 8 consecutive years. She serves on the artist panel for the ICCR which is an autonomous organisation of the Government of India, involved in India's external cultural relations, through cultural exchange with other countries and their peoples.
Sirkazhi G. Sivachidambaram is a Carnatic music vocalist and cinema playback singer from Chennai.
Charulatha Mani is a celebrated Indian-born Australian Carnatic and playback singer. She has been performing Carnatic concerts since 1999. She has also sung chartbusters for Tamil, Telugu and Hindi movies. Charulatha has appeared in numerous TV shows and radio programmes, in India, and overseas. She has recorded many, CD and DVD albums. Her Isai Payanam TV show, aired on Jaya TV, deals with Ragas in Carnatic and film music and has completed more than 80 episodes. She recently received her PhD from the prestigious Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia, on Hybridising carnatic Music and Early Opera. Charu's music is known for its impeccable adherence to the Karnatik principles. It is also known for being courageous and highly creative. It is this ongoing interplay, of newness and the vintage, that has become the hallmark of her unique performance philosophy and signature style. This interesting interweave derives from her strong belief that Karnatik music must embrace innovation, inclusivity and diversity in contemporary society.
Smitha Madhav is a Carnatic Classical Singer and Bharatanatyam Dancer. Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of India and one of the two main classifications of Indian Classical Music.
Akkarai S. Subhalakshmi is a 21st-century violinist in the field of Carnatic music. She is the daughter of violinist Akkarai Swaminathan. She and her younger musician sister Sornalatha are often referred to as Akkarai sisters in music circles.
Rithvik Raja is a Carnatic Musician from India. He has performed in concerts in India and overseas. Since January 2016, Rithvik is married to Bharatanatyam artiste Shweta Prachande.
SRD Vaidyanathan was an Indian musician who played the Nadaswaram.
R. Suryaprakash is a Carnatic vocalist, composer, and lyricist. An 'A Grade' artist of All India Radio, he has travelled extensively and received accolades for his performances.
Balasubramaniam Rajam Iyer was a Carnatic singer from South India. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1987.
K. Arun Prakash is a Carnatic Musician, Percussionist, Composer and well-known for playing the Mridangam.
Sukanya Ramgopal is an Indian carnatic musician from Tamil Nadu. She is best known as the first woman ghatam player in Carnatic music. She is also proficient in carnatic vocal, violin, mridangam and veena. She received several awards including Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Karnataka Sangeeta Nritya Academy Award and awards from Madras Music Academy, Chennai.