Damal Krishnaswamy Pattammal, popularly known as D. K. Pattammal or DKP, was an Indian Carnatic musician and a playback singer for film songs in Tamil. Pattammal, along with her contemporaries M. S. Subbulakshmi and M. L. Vasanthakumari, are popularly referred to as the female trinity of Carnatic Music. This trio initiated the entry of women into mainstream Carnatic Music. She has been appreciated all over the world by Carnatic music lovers.
Semmangudi Radhakrishna Srinivasa Iyer was an Indian Carnatic vocalist. He was the youngest recipient of the Sangeetha Kalanidhi awarded by the Music Academy in 1947, a distinction he holds to this day as of 2024, probably the only musician to receive that honour before reaching 40. He had received many other awards as well, including Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan from the Government of India, Rajyasevanirata title from Travancore's erstwhile ruling family, Sangeet Natak Academy award (1953), Isai Perarignar from Government of Tamil Nadu and Kalidas Samman from Government of Madhya Pradesh. He was affectionately addressed as "Semmangudi Maama" by his disciples. He was also considered the "Pitamaha" or the grand sire of modern Carnatic Music. He was conferred with an honorary doctorate by University of Kerala in 1979.
Aathira Krishna is an Indian violinist. She holds the Guinness World Record for her 32-hour-long non-stop Carnatic violin solo concert. She is among the youngest cultural ambassadors of India.
Palghat T. S. Mani Iyer (1912–1981), born Thiruvilvamalai Ramaswamy was one of the leading mridangists in the field of Carnatic music. He, along with his contemporaries Palani Subramaniam Pillai and Ramanathapuram C. S. Murugabhoopathy, are revered as the "Holy Trinity of Mrudangam". Mani Iyer was the first mridangist to be awarded the Sangeetha Kalanidhi (1966) presented by the Music Academy of Madras, the Padma Bhushan (1971) and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards(1956) presented by the Government of India.
"Bombay" Jayashri Ramnath is an Indian Carnatic vocalist, singer, and musician. She has sung songs in multiple languages, including for Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi movies. Born into a family of musicians, Jayashri represents the fourth generation of music practitioners in her family. Trained by Lalgudi Jayaraman and T.R. Balamani. She was awarded India's fourth highest civilian award, the Padma Shri, in 2021. In December 2023, she was awarded the most prestigious award in the Carnatic music field, the Sangeetha Kalanidhi, by the Madras Music Academy. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song (Oscar) for Pi's Lullaby from Life of Pi movie. She has become one of the most sought-after Carnatic musicians today.
Sreevalsan J. Menon is an Indian Carnatic vocalist and a music composer from Kerala.
S. Sowmya is a Carnatic music vocalist. She learnt music initially from her father Srinivasan, and later from S. Ramanathan and Smt.T. Muktha. She received the Sangeetha Kalanidhi title by Madras Music Academy in 2019 and the Isai Perarignar by the Tamil Isai Sangam in 2022. She was appointed by the Govt of Tamil Nadu as Vice Chancellor of the Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalithaa Music & Fine Arts University on April 8, 2022, for a period of three years.
Sangita Kalanidhi Aruna Sairam is an Indian classical vocalist and carnatic music singer. She is a recipient of the Padma Shri award from the Government of India and was elected as the Vice Chairman of the Sangeet Natak Academy by the Government of India until 2022. In 2011, Aruna was the first Carnatic musician to perform at the BBC proms in London. She is also the first Carnatic musician to perform in Oud Festival of Israel (Jerusalem).
Thanjavur Muktha, also spelt Mukta and often referred as Mukthamma, (1914–2007) was one of the foremost representatives of the Veena Dhanammal school of Carnatic Music. She, along with her elder sister T. Brinda, formed one of the first women duo singers in Carnatic Music.
Lakshmi Rajagopalan is a leading Carnatic vocalist in India.
Mavelikkara Velukutty Nair was an Indian mridangam player.
Sikkil C. Gurucharan is among the foremost young performing musicians of Carnatic music in India today. He is the grandson of Sikkil Kunjumani, elder of the internationally acclaimed flautists the Sikkil Sisters. Gurucharan has been under the tutelage Vaigal Shri S. Gnanaskandan and is currently being mentored by Shri B. Krishnamurthy. He is an 'A' grade All India Radio artist. The magazine India Today featured him among 35 Game Changers Under 35 in India, a list of young achievers from different walks of life.
Kalakrithi is an annual inter college cultural festival organised by the students of Alagappa College of Technology, Anna University, Chennai. The event was started in 1983 to initially engage student art in the city of Madras and from 1984 onwards attracted artists from around the state of Tamil Nadu. It usually takes place in February and is a three-day celebration of art, music and life. The highlight is the philanthropic motto students carry every year initiated in kalakrithi'13 with organ donation awareness where young students signed in to donate their organs was highly appreciated by well-known politicians and activists.
Kappa TV is an Indian Malayalam language free to air youth music channel owned by Mathrubhumi. The channel was named after Tapioca, a type of starch extracted from the root of Cassava plant, which is called "kappa" in Malayalam language. The channel focus on youth oriented programs and. Music Mojo which features bands from Kerala and other southern Indian states is a popular program in Kappa TV. The studios are located in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.
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.
Vedanth Bharadwaj is a vocalist and composer born in Mumbai, India. He is a qualified guitarist from the Trinity College London and is best known for his work with songs and poems from the Bhakti Movement.
Kamalakshi Omanakutty is an academic, music teacher and carnatic vocalist noted for her research and publications in the field of music. Her research on Kathakali music led to her doctorate in this field. She currently serves as professor and Head of the Department of Music at the University of Kerala. She also chairs Sangeetha Bharathi, a private organization.
Vidushi Sumitra Guha is an Indian classical vocalist, known for her expertise in the Carnatic and Hindustani schools of classical music. The Government of India honored her in 2010, with the fourth highest civilian award of Padma Shri and in 2020 with a Sangeet Natak Akademi award.
Sreenidhi Tirumala is an Indian singer. Trained under vocal coach Nedunuri Krishnamurthy, she has received many accolades and honors.
Parassala B. Ponnammal was an Indian Carnatic musician from the south Indian state of Kerala. She was a classical carnatic vocalist in the lineage of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Muthiah Bhagavathar, and Papanasam Sivan. She was the first woman to perform at the Navaratri Mandapam in Thiruvananthapuram as a part of the Navaratri Celebrations of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala.
