Leela Omchery is a classical singer, musicologist and writer. She is known for her contributions to classical music and is a recipient of

Padmashri Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conferred ...

award from Government of India for her contributions to Indian classical dance and music.

Life

Leela Omchery was born in 1928 in Mankoyikkal tharavdu in Thiruvattar in Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu. Her parents were Parameswara Kurup and Lakshmikutty Amma. She started learning music from an early age under Karnatic music guru, Thiruvattar Arumugham Pillai Bhagavathar, along with her younger brother, late

Kamukara Purushothaman Kamukara Purushothaman (4 December 1930 – 26 May 1995) was an Indian singer. He was a noted playback singer in Malayalam cinema during its early years. He has recorded over 170 songs in 68 movies in various South Indian languages. Early ...

, a classical and playback singer in Malayalam. Hailing from a family of musicians, she had the opportunity to hone her music talents under the guidance of her grand mother and mother who were musicians in their own rights. After early schooling in

Kanyakumari Kanniyakumari (; , referring to Devi Kanya Kumari), also known as Cape Comorin, is a city in Kanniyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent and the southernmost city in mainland Ind ...

, she obtained graduate degree in

Carnatic music Carnatic music, known as or in the South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and Sri Lanka. It is ...

from Women's college,

Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...

and continued her studies in

Hindustani music Hindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, ''shastriya sangeet'' (). It is played in instruments like the violin, sita ...

at Punjab University and obtained another graduate degree. Her Master's degree came from

Meerut University Chaudhary Charan Singh University (CCS University), formerly Meerut University, is a public state university located in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India. The university was established in 1965. It was later renamed to its current name after Chaud ...

and she got her PhD in music from

Delhi University Delhi University (DU), formally the University of Delhi, is a collegiate central university located in New Delhi, India. It was founded in 1922 by an Act of the Central Legislative Assembly and is recognized as an Institute of Eminence (IoE) ...

. She is married to writer Omchery N. N. Pillai and resides in New Delhi. The couple has two children, S.D. Omchery and Deepti Omchery Bhalla, a classical dancer. She has also written some short stories.

Career

Leela Omchery is presently working as a Professor in ''Kamukara School of Music, Dance and Research Studies'', Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala and as Professor and Principal of ''Trikalaa Gurukulam'' in Delhi. She is the President of ''Dakshina Bharati'' (a south Indian Women’s Organization) and Vice President of ''Swaralaya'', Delhi. She is an accredited Supervisor and Guide to Ph.D and M.Phil from various universities including Delhi, Kerala, Calicut, Baroda, Nalanda, and Bombay. She is also a member of the Selection Board of AIR, Doordarshan, ICCR, IGNCA, SNA (Delhi), Ministry of Culture and

IGNOU Indira Gandhi National Open University, known as IGNOU, is a Central University located at Maidan Garhi, New Delhi, India. Named after former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi, the university was established in 1985 with a budget of 20& ...

. She has also worked as the Associate Professor and Head, Karnatak Music Section, Faculty of Music & Fine Arts, University of Delhi (1964–1994). She also served as Editorial Staff of Indian Music Journal, ''Vageeshwari'', (1975–1994).

Works

English

Malayalam

On Other Topics

* Leelanjali (Short stories) * Jeevitham (Drama) * Parthivan Kanavu – Translation from Tamil * Katha Bharathi – Translation from Tamil * Aaharavum Aarogyavum She is also credited with over 200 published articles.

Awards and recognitions

by Government of India in 2009 * Kendra Sangeet Natak Academy Award for the contribution to Traditional Music (Sopaana Sangeetham) and popular music of Kerala in 2003 * ''Marunaadan Malayaali Award'' for Excellence in the field of Traditional music and Arts, Delhi in 2008 * Fellow –

Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy is located in Thrissur city, of Kerala, in India. It was established on 26 April 1958, inaugurated by then Indian Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The academy started a cultural centre at the Bahrain Ker ...

in 1991 * ''Sangeeta Kulapathi'' from Kalaadarppanam, Kerala in 2003 * ''Sangeet Kovida'' from Gayatri Fine Arts, Delhi in 2003 * ''Kalaacharya'' from Akhila Kerala Maaraar Mahaa Sabha, Kerala in 1990 * ''Sangeeta Sarva Bhouma'' from Astika Samaj, Delhi in 2006 * Award for overall contributions to Music and Culture, Panchavaadya Trust, Delhi in 2006 * Senior Fellowships/Associate ship for Research Projects from various prestigious national organizations like Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), University Grants Commission (UGC), Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts and Culture (IGNCA), SNA (Delhi).

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Omchery, Leela Malayali people 1929 births Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts Living people Indian women musicologists Indian musicologists 20th-century Indian non-fiction writers Indian women classical musicians Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 20th-century Indian educators Singers from Tamil Nadu People from Kanyakumari district Educators from Tamil Nadu Women writers from Tamil Nadu Women musicians from Tamil Nadu 20th-century Indian women singers 20th-century Indian singers 21st-century Indian women singers 21st-century Indian singers Women educators from Tamil Nadu 20th-century women writers 20th-century women educators