Gayatri Sankaran

Gayatri Sankaran
Born Thiruvanmiyur, Tamil Nadu, India
Occupation Musician, vocalist
Awards Padma Shri
Role Model National Award
Surmani Award
Isai Chudar Award
Pallavi Singer Award
Best Teacher Award
Gana Kuyil Award
Rotary Professional Excellence Award
Indian Fine Arts Society Award
World Telugu Federation Award
Padma Sadhana Award
Ascendas Excellence Award
Kalaimamani Award
Swarna Tarangini Award
Website
http://www.gayatrisankaran.com/

Gayatri Sankaran is a visually impaired Indian musician and vocalist[1] specialising in Carnatic vocals and violin performances.[2][3] She is a recipient of the Kalaimamani award from Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Manram, a unit of the Directorate of Art and Culture, Government of Tamil Nadu.[4][5] The Government of India honoured her in 2006, with the award of Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award for his contributions to music,[6] making her the first visually impaired woman to receive the award.[2][7]

Biography

Gayatri Sankaran was born in Thiruvanmiyur, a suburb of Chennai, in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.[2] She started learning music, at the age of three, from her mother, Subbulakshmi Gurunathan and later from Allamaraju Someswara Rao.[3] She also trained in violin under the guidance of Pakkala Ramados and started performing as an accompanist.[2] This brought her the opportunity to learn music at Kalakshetra of Rukmini Devi Arundale when the renowned danseuse was impressed with the young Gayatri[7] where she learned under Pudukkodu Krishnamurthy and Vairamangalam S Lakshminarayanan and secured diploma and post graduate diploma in vocals and violin.[2] Later, she had training under Lalgudi Jayaraman[3][7] and under K. J. Yesudas, both renowned musicians.[2] She joined the All India Radio as a staff artist to start her career in 1988 and continues to work there as a Top Grade artist in Carnatic music and B High Grade artist in light music and violin.[2] She has secured a doctoral degree (PhD) for her thesis, 'Stylistic Analysis of Kalidaikurichi Vedanta Bhagavatar, from the University of Madras[7] and runs private coaching classes from her home in Tiruvanmiyur.[2][8][9] She is reported to have developed braille notations for music[7] and has performed at various places in India and abroad.[3][10] She is also a member of the Programme Committee) of the South Zone Cultural Centre, Ministry of Culture and the Awards Selection Committee Member of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.[11]

Gayatri, an empanelled artist of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), is a recipient of several awards and honours such as National Award for Role Model from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, Surmani from the Sur Singer Samsath, Mumbai, Isai Chudar from Lioness club of South Chennai, Special Pallavi Singer from Krishna Gana Sabha, Best Teacher award from the Maragatham Chandrasekhar Trust, Gana Kuyil award from the Canada Hindu Cultural Council and the Professional Excellence Award from the Rotary Club of Madras.[2] She has also received the Indian Fine Arts Society award thrice, World Telugu Federation award, Padma Sadhana award, Ascendas Excellence award and Swarna Tarangini award from Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development.[2] The Government of India awarded her the civilian honour of Padma Shri in 2006,[6] making her the first visually impaired woman to receive the award.[2] Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Mandram of the Government of Tamil Nadu awarded her the title Kalaimamani in 2011.[4][5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "PadmaShri Dr. Gayatri Sankaran - Begada Varnam 'Intha Chala'". YouTube. 12 October 2012. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 "ICCKL". ICCKL. 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Tamil Isai Manram". Tamil Isai Manram. 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Kalaimamani". The Hindu. 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Lakshman Sruthi". Lakshman Sruthi. 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Padma Shri". Padma Shri. 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 "The Hindu report". The Hindu. 10 February 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  8. ↑ "India Art and Aartists". India Art and Aartists. 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Swann". Swann. 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Indians in Kuwait". Indians in Kuwait. 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  11. ↑ "We Got Guru". We Got Guru. 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2015.

External links