Sruti Magazine

Monday, 16 July 2018

A richly deserved honour for Aruna Sairam

By V. Ramnarayan

I have been a great admirer of Aruna Sairam the musician, from the time before she reinvented her concert repertoire to capture the popular mandate as arguably the most successful artist of her time. I had been privileged to listen to her rendition in the company of Geetha Raja of an authentic Dhanammal bani recital at a house concert a couple of decades ago. I knew of her heroic battle against audience indifference, her indomitable spirit that helped her plunge into a voyage of voice-and self-discovery placing complete trust in the hands of a German expert, her powerful fusion efforts in which her newly acquired, sonorous voice rang clear and true in a bell-like tone that would have done an MS or a Gangubai Hangal proud. I was also lucky to participate in a couple of panel discussions in which she displayed great bhakti towards her art and her guru, as well as a sharp intellect and brilliant articulation. The Music Academy has bestowed on her a richly deserved honour, I am sure as much in recognition of all these sterling qualities as acknowledgement of her undeniable role as a proselytiser of Carnatic music who has drawn sizable new audiences to this classical art. She has been a good friend of Sruti magazine. We appreciate her steadfast support and salute her in her hour of glory. Our cup of joy will be full when she realises her potential for true greatness as a champion of all that is good in music.

Here's something I wrote some years ago: https://srutimag.blogspot.com/search?q=aruna+sairam