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Shobha Raju is an Indian devotional singer, writer and composer, known as an exponent of sankirtana of the divine compositions of the saint-composer, Annamacharya. [1] She was awarded the Padma Shri by Government of India for her contributions to arts in 2010. [2] She is the founder of "Annamacharya Bhavana Vahini" (ABV).
While composing her own songs at the age of four, to cutting her first gramophone record and becoming an All India Radio Artiste at the age of 16, to being awarded the prize at national level competitions at the age of 17, she has been constantly trained under various music masters such as Nedunuri Krishna Murthy and Rajyalakshmi in music, R. G. Narayana Raju for spirituality, among others. Shobha is the first recipient of TTD's scholarship in 1976 to study and set a trend for the propagation of Annamacharya's compositions, and was also chosen as the first exclusive artiste for the propagation of Annamacharya"s compositions in 1978. Her first audio album, "Venkateswara Geeta Malika" is globally popular among Telugu community.
Apart from serving as Project Officer for "Rama Rasa Vahini", a music-based project in Endowments Dept, sponsored by Bhadrachalam Devasthanam; authoring books such as "Srihari Padartham", "Pedda Tirumalayya Parichayam"; her various projects in the field of music and culture include: National Level Music Competitions to encourage youth, organisation of the anniversaries of Annamacharya; discovering and publishing 39 compositions of Annamayya as the "Annamayya Gupta Sankeertanadhanam"; "Shanti Sankeertanam" to enlighten people against the acts of terrorism; "Nagara Sankeertana", singing in processions for spiritual awareness; stage concerts and presentation of "Sankeertanaushadham" (Therapeutic Music Programs) for the benefit of patients in the hospitals both at India and abroad; self-scripted musical feature, "Annamayya Katha"; presentation of "Upashamana Sankeertana", a special program for the relief of the prisoners; writing the story, script, screenplay, dialogues, music, and directing a tele-serial, "Sri Annamacharya"; application of "Swarayoga", a special program for the personality development; annual "Vaggeyakarotsavams" of 1983 celebrated in national level; and others. She played an important role in getting the Postal Dept of Govt. of India to release the postage stamp of Annamacharya in Annamayyapuram.
Sobha Raju was born in Vayalpadu, Annamayya district, A.P. Her father R. G. Narayana Raju, a retired Deputy Collector was a native of Tirumala Reddypalle, Chittoor district. and her first spiritual mentor, while her mother Rajyalakshmi, was her first music teacher in Music.
She did her B.A. with History, Economics & Music from Sri. Padmavathi Women's College, Tirupati, A. P.
She is married to S. Nanda Kumar, who resigned the post of Project Executive in National Dairy Development Board to support her mission.
She received her training in music from teachers like, Pullaiah, D. Seshagiri Rao, Pakala Munirathnam, Tiruttani Krishnamurthy, Kalpakam, Nedunuri Krishna Murthy garu.
She is greatly inspired by the teachings of Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda. Swami Paramahamsa Yoganandaji's teaching have a tremendous influence on her. The holy company of Chinmayananda Saraswati, Dayananda Saraswati, Vidya Prakasanandaji, and Sathya Sai Baba helped a great deal in moulding her personality. She used to sing Bhajans and recite Bhagavad Gita during their discourses
Shobha Raju is also a writer. She has written many stories and articles published by popular magazines and papers including Andhra Prabha, Swathi, Andhra Bhoomi, etc. She is also the author of a few booklets such as "Sripadartham" (Commentaries to Annamayya Compositions), "Pedatirumalayya Parichayam" etc.
She has composed many songs and poetry pieces since her childhood. Her compositions are bought out into audio albums by different audio companies and temples.
Shobha Raju has been a well acclaimed music composer. Different audio companies have brought out her albums for which she herself set the music. She is also the music director for the Tele serial "Sri Annamacharya".
She is the director of many video programs, including the Tele serial "Sri Annamacharya". She is an organiser of many events and festivals.
Shobha Raju is a recipient of the civilian award "Padma Shri" from the Government of India in 2010.[ citation needed ] Government of Andhra Pradesh honored her with Hamsa Award in 2013.[ citation needed ] Shobha Raju also received many other awards in the field of art, culture and music. These include: "Annamayya Pada Kokila" by Telugu Association of North America; "Sankeertana Praveena" by Telugu Kala Samithi, Kuwait in 2000; Paidi Lakshmiah Merit Award; "Ugadi Puraskar" by Madras Telugu Academy; "Smt Ravoori Kanthamma Bharadwaja Award"; "ANR Swarna Kankanam"; "Abhinava Annamayya" by Telugu Association of North Texas; "Out Standing Woman Award" by NTR Trust; "Out Standing Woman Award" by Mahila Congress on the eve of Indira Gandhi's birthday; among many more. Apart from her graduation from Sri Padmavathi Women's College of Tirupati, she has also been awarded an Honorary Doctorate from P.S. Telugu University; has been honoured as "Asthana Vidushi" by the Dwaraka Tirumala Devasthanam, India; The India Cultural center & Temple, Memphis, Tennessee, United States, nominated as a member on the South Zone Cultural Centre & South Central Zone Cultural Center in 1985; a member on the advisory panel of regional ICCR; and serving many years as Advisor, Annamacharya Project, TTD.
Venkateshwara, Venkatachalapathi, Balaji, or Srinivasa, is a form of the Hindu deity Vishnu and is the presiding deity of the Venkateshwara Temple, located in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India. Venkateshwara is also known by various other names. Lord is famous for North Indians as 'Balaji'.
Tallapaka Annamacharya, also popularly known as Annamayya, was a musician, composer, and a Hindu saint. He is the earliest known Indian musician to compose songs called samkirtanas. His devotional samkirtanas were in the praise of Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu.Annamayya is said to have composed as many as 32,000 samkirtanas (songs) on the praise of Venkateswara of which only about 12,000 are available today. He wrote highest numbers of Kirtanas of all time on praise of Lord Vishnu The musical form of the kirtana songs that he composed, which are still popular among Carnatic music concert artists, have strongly influenced the structure of Carnatic music compositions. His compositions are classified as Adhyatma (spiritual) and Sringara (romantic). Annamacharya is remembered for his saintly life, as one of the greatest musicians and is honoured as a great devotee of Vishnu by devotees and saintly singers. He was one of the first few who opposed the social stigma towards the untouchable castes in his era.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an independent trust which manages various temples, including the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh, India. The trust oversees the operations and finances of the richest and the most visited religious center in the world. It is also involved in various social, religious, literary and educational activities. TTD is headquartered at Tirupati and employs about 16,000 people. Srivani trust was set up by TTD in 2019 to promote Sanātana Dharma by constructing temples in SC-ST-BC habitations, renovating ancient temples, and providing funds under Dhup-Deepa-Naivedyam Scheme to those temples facing financial difficulty. By January 2023, TTD has taken up construction of 2,068 temples in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Pondicherry and Karnataka. TTD's main source of income is Srivani darshan tickets which earn Rs 1 crore per day in January 2024.
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Rallapalli Ananta Krishna Sharma was a noted composer of Carnatic music, singer, Telugu litterateur, teacher and Sanskrit scholar. He was responsible for discovering, cataloguing and putting to music many forgotten compositions of Annamacharya. These compositions composed hundreds of years agearlierame back to life thanks to Sharma's efforts and successive singers like S. P. Balasubramanyam and M. S. Subbalakshmi would sing many of them, hence popularising them. Sharma authored prose works like Vemana, Natakopanyasamulu,Ganakale,Sahitya Mattu Jeevana Kale and Saraswatalokamu. Rallapalli Ananta Krishna Sharma translated 395 Gathas from original Prakrit into Telugu language titled Shalivahana Gatha Sapta Saramu in 1931. Sharma is the recipient of Central Sangeet & Natak Academy Fellowship (1973), Gana Kala Sindhu (1961), Gana Kala Prapoorna (1969), Sangeeta Kala Ratna (1974) and Sangeeta Sahitya Asthan Vidwan honours with an Honorary Doctorate from TTD University, Andhra Pradesh.
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Kodandarama Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Rama, located in Vontimitta town in Vontimitta Mandalam of Kadapa District in the Indian state of Andhra. The temple, an example of Vijayanagara architectural style, is dated to the 16th century. It is stated to be the largest temple in the region. It is located at a distance of 25 kilometres (16 mi) from Kadapa and is close to Rajampet. The temple and its adjoining buildings are one of the centrally protected monuments of national importance.
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Sri Kalyana Venkateswara swamy Temple is an ancient Hindu temple at Srinivasamangapuram in Tirupati. It is located in Tirupati District of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to the god Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu and is referred to as Kalyana Venkateswara. The temple is one of the centrally protected monuments of national importance.
Sri Venkateswara Vedic University is a state university located at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India. It was established in 2006 by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, sponsored by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), and focuses on Vedic studies.
Venkateswara Temple is an important Vaishnavite temple situated in the hill town of Tirumala in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, built by a Tamil king Tondaiman and later expanded and renovated under the Chola and Vijayanagara Empire. The Temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, an incarnation of Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared here to save mankind from the trials and troubles of Kali Yuga. The temple is situated at a height of 853 metres on Tirumala Hills which are part of Seshachalam Hills and is constructed in South Indian Tamil Architectural Style.
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