Rudrapatna Krishnashastri Srikantan (14 January 1920 – 17 February 2014), known as R. K. Srikantan, was a vocalist of the

Carnatic music Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, 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, an ...

al tradition of

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...

n music. He was awarded the

Madras Music Academy Madras Music Academy is one of the earliest established music academies in South India. Before the concept of infrastructure was introduced to India in the early 1920s, it was a gathering for elite musicians simply called (and is still more ...

Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sangeetha Kalanidhi or Sangeeta Kalanidhi (Tamil: சங்கீத கலாநிதி, Sanskrit : संगीत-कला-निधि) (''sangeetha'' = music, ''kala'' = art, ''nidhi'' = treasure or ocean) is the title awarded yearly to ...

in 1995.

Early life

Srikantan was born to a Sankethi Brahmin family in Rudrapatna,

Hassan district Hassan is one of the districts of Karnataka, 31 districts of Karnataka, India. The district headquarter is Hassan, Karnataka, Hassan. It was carved out from Mysore district in the year 1866, during the Commissioner's Rule of Mysore (1831-81). ...

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

, on

Makara Sankranti Makar(a) Sankranti (), also referred to as Uttarayana, Maghi, or simply Sankranti, is a Hindu observance and a festival. Usually falling on the date of January 14 annually, this occasion marks the transition of the Sun from the zodiac of Sag ...

day, 14 January 1920. His father R Krishnashastri was an

orator An orator, or oratist, is a public speaker, especially one who is eloquent or skilled. Etymology Recorded in English c. 1374, with a meaning of "one who pleads or argues for a cause", from Anglo-French ''oratour'', Old French ''orateur'' (14th ...

, singer of ''

Gamaka (storytelling) Gamaka, also known as kaavya vaachana, is a form of storytelling by singing that originated in Karnataka, India. One person reads a stanza of a poem with highest emphasis on meaning, applying suitable raga or a ''dhaati'' (melodic line), usuall ...

'',

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...

, and a ''

harikatha ''Harikatha'' (Kannada: ಹರಿಕಥೆ : ''Harikathe''; Telugu: హరికథ : ''Harikatha;'' Marathi: हरीपाठ '': Haripatha'', ), also known as ''Harikatha Kaalakshepam'' in Telugu and Tamil (), is a form of Hindu tradition ...

vidwan''. His grandfather, Narayanaswamy of Bettadapura, also known as Veena Narayanaswamy was a Veena instrumentalist and a contemporary of

Veene Sheshanna Veene Sheshanna ( kn, ವೀಣೆ ಶೇಷಣ್ಣ) (1852—1926) was an exponent of the Veena, an Indian string instrument, which he played in the classical Carnatic music style. He was a concert musician at the court of the princely state ...

and Veene Subbanna. RK Srikantan with his wife

Education

Srikantan went to

Sadvidya Pathashala Sadvidya Educational Institutions is one of the leading educational institutions in Mysore, Karnataka, India, providing education in the languages English, Kannada, Hindi and Sanskrit. It is located in the heart of Mysore city. It is one of the ...

and Banumaiah High School in

Mysore Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...

. Later, he obtained his BA degree from the Maharaja College, Mysore.

Training

His father Krishnashastri was Srikantan's first tutor and he moved to Mysore after his wife's death. Later, Srikantan was mentored by his brother R. K. Venkatarama Shastri, a violin player who often accompanied M S Subbulakshmi. Srikantan also received training from veteran musicians like Veene Subbanna and

Chowdiah Tirumakudalu Chowdiah ( kn, ಸಂಗೀತ ರತ್ನ ತಿರುಮಕೂಡಲು ಚೌಡಯ್ಯ) (1895 – 19 January 1967) was a violin maestro from India in the Carnatic classical tradition. Early years Chowdiah, was born in ...

Excellence

Srikantan was an avid attendee at all concerts in

during the era of the

Wodeyar The Wadiyar dynasty (formerly spelt Wodeyer or Odeyer, also referred to as the Wadiyars of Mysore), is a late-medieval/ early-modern South Indian Hindu royal family of former kings of Mysore from the Urs clan originally based in Mysore city. ...

s. Srikantan during those days was highly influenced by the ''

Nadaswaram The Nagaswaram (nādḥasvaram) is a double reed wind instrument from South India. It is used as a traditional classical instrument in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala. This instrument is "among the world's loudes ...

vidwans'' of his time. He was also highly influenced by maestros of the likes of

Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer Semmangudi Radhakrishna Srinivasa Iyer (25 July 1908 – 31 October 2003) 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 ...

Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar (19 May 1890 – 23 January 1967), popularly known as ''Ariyakudi'', was a Carnatic music vocalist, born in Ariyakudi, a town in the present-day Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu. Ariyakudi developed a unique style of ...

Musiri Subramania Iyer Musiri Subramania Iyer (9 April 1899 – 25 March 1975) was a Carnatic vocalist whose stage performing career spanned the 1920s to the 1940s. After retirement from the stage, he remained an iconic figure in Carnatic music as a dedicated teache ...

, G N Balasubramaniam and

Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer ( ta, மகாராஜபுரம் விசுவநாதையர்; 1896–1970) was one of the great Indian Carnatic vocalists. He won several awards including Sangeetha Kalanidhi and Sangeetha Bhupathy. ...

. Srikantan's singing is characterised by ''sahitya shuddham'' (correct pronunciation and diction) and ''shruti shuddham'' (refinement of pitch).

Awards

Among the award received by Srikantan are: * Central

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IPA: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi Sangeet Natak Akademi (The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in Englis ...

by the Government of India in 1979. * State Sangeet Natak Akademi Award by the Government of Karnataka in 1981. * ''

'' Title from the

in 1995. * ''Kanaka-Purandara'' Award by the Government of

. *

Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished service ...

Award by Government of India in 2011. *

Sangeet Natak Akademi Tagore Ratna Sangeet Natak Akademi Tagore Ratna and Sangeet Natak Akademi Tagore Puraskar were given at special events organised by Sangeet Natak Akademi in *Kolkata – Sangeet Natak Akademi Tagore Samman on 25 April 2012 *Chennai – Sangeet Natak Akademi ...

in 2012. * ''Sangeetha Prabhakara'' Award in 2013 * ''Nada Vidya Bharati'' Award in 2012 by Visakha Music and Dance Academy. * ''Sathguru Thyagaraja Hamsadhwani'' Award in 2011 * ''Gana Bhaskara'' Title by Annavasathi Sangha, Bangalore in 1947. * ''Best Teacher'' Title by the Bangalore city corporation in 1973. * ''Ganakala Praveen'' Title by the Guru Seva Mandali, Bangalore in 1976. * ''Karanataka Sangeeta Ratna'' under the joint auspices of Sri. Parthasarathy Sabha, Forum of music lovers and Saraswati Gana Sabha, Bangalore in 1978. * ''Gayakachoodamani'' Title by the Tulaseevana Sangeetha Parishath, Trivendrum, in 1983. * T.T.K. Memorial Award by the Music Academy, Madras in 1983 as the best Musician. * ''Haridasa'' Award by the Purandara Pratishthana, Bangalore in 1991. * ''Palant Subramanya Pillai'' Award by Percussive Art Centre, B'lore in 1992. * Chowdaiah National Level Award by Academy of Music, 1994. * ''Saptagiri Sangeetha Vidwanmani'' by Thyagaraja Trust, Tirupathi, 1994. * ''Karnataka Rajya Sangeetha Vidwan'' Title by Government of Karnataka in the year 1994.

Teaching

Srikantan rendered teaching programs on the radio (On Amruthavarshini 100.1 FM).

Death

Srikantan died on 17 February 2014 after a brief illness.

Disciples

Some of Srikantan's disciples include his son R S Ramakanth, B. K. Anantha Ram (Flutist), M. S. Sheela, T. S. Satyavati, R. A. Ramamani, M. T. Selvanarayana, Amith Nadig and H. K. Narayana. His daughter

Rathnamala Prakash Ratnamala Prakash (born 19 August 1952) is an Indian singer who sings in Kannada language. Along with playback signing, she is known for her songs in Sugama Sangeetha, a light musical genre in Kannada. Her father R. K. Srikantan was a Carna ...

is also his disciple, who achieved fame and success in Sugama Sangeetha or light music. MusicalNirvana - R K Srikantan
/ref>

References

External links

R.K. Srikantan turns 93
{{DEFAULTSORT:Srikantan, R. K. 1920 births 2014 deaths Male Carnatic singers Carnatic singers People from Hassan Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Sangeetha Kalanidhi recipients Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in arts Maharaja's College, Mysore alumni 20th-century Indian male classical singers