Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan

Birthdays & Anniversaries

19.8.1908 - 18.2.2016

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Rajee Narayan

Birthdays & Anniversaries

19.8.1931

"It was a matter of pride for all South Indians that the government of Maharashtra had chosen to honour guru Rajee Narayan with the Maharashtra Rajya Samskrutik Puraskar for the field of dance for 1996-97.

"Rajee Narayan established her institution Nritya Geethanjali in 1965, when she migrated to Mumbai. Branches of the institution have since been established in Australia, Canada and the US, headed by her disciples. In recognition of her knowledge and experience, she was appointed a member of the dance faculty of the Mumbai University, a position she has held for over 20 years. She has also been a paper-setter and examiner for the BFA and MFA courses of the university through the years."

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Vishnu Digambar Paluskar

Birthdays & Anniversaries

18.8.1872 - 21.8.1931

Vishnu Digambar Paluskar belonged to the fraternity of Haridasa-s, but he would likely have not turned to music seriously except for an accident which affected his eyesight adversely. But once he did, he worked at becoming an accomplished singer. In the event, what earned him undying fame was his missionary work to spread the glory of music and his contribution to the renaissance of Hindustani music. Despite heavy opposition to teaching music under institutional auspices, he established schools the graduates of which would, in his reckoning, at best become Tansens or at least kaansen-s, that is sensitive rasika-s. He spearheaded the movement to propagate Hindustani music. He established the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, first  in Lahore in 1901, and later in Bombay in 1908. In course of time, the pick of students he himself had trained established more centres under the same rubric and with the same missionary goals. His interest extended beyond classical music to devotional and patriotic songs; his aim was not merely a musical renaissance but a recovery of the spiritual and cultural heritage of the nation. Through personal example, he brought respect to the profession of music, even as he popularised the art.

Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar

Birthdays & Anniversaries

16.8.1860-1919

Kalpagam Swaminathan

Birthdays & Anniversaries

15.8.1922 - 6.5.2011

Kalpagam Swaminathan has been upholding traditional values in Carnatic music. Born in Setalapathi village in Tanjavur  in 1922, she belongs to a family of musicians. Her mother Abhayambal and  grandmother Dharmambal were considered good singers of their times.  Her  mother, who was also well-versed  in playing the veena and the harmonium, was  her  first veena teacher. Other guru-s were A. Anantakrishna  Iyer and T.L.  Venkatarama  Iyer from whom she acquired her enviable repertoire of Dikshitar kriti-s; and Budalur Krishnamurti Sastri, from whom she  learnt several Tyagaraja  kriti-s. In 1947, Kalpagam Swaminathan joined the music faculty of the Kalakshetra's College of Music and Fine Arts where she served for six years.She joined Central College of  Carnatic  Music in Madras  in 1964 as a veena teacher when Musiri Subrahmania Iyer was its Principal. After her retirement, she taught  veena  to students at Kala Peetham in Madras for a few years. Kalpagam Swaminathan has been  a regular  performer on AIR and Doordarshan. The Music Academy in Madras has honoured her  with a special certificate and the Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Manram with  the title of Kalaimamani in recognition of her services  in the field of Carnatic music.