T. K. Govindarao (Tripunithura Krishnarao Govindarao) was the first Malayali film musician and a Carnatic musician (21 April 1929 – 18 September 2011).

Earlier life

T. K. Govindarao was a proponent of melody. He was born as the son of Tripunithura Vadakkekkotta Chakkalamutt Pallisserrimadathil Krishnarao and Kamalammal. The first Malayalam film background song ''Subhaleela'' in the movie Nirmala was sung by him. The first Malayalam movie duet ''Paaduka poonkuyile'' too was sung by him along with P. Leela. He sang only in this movie where the lyrics was by G Sankara Kurup and the score was by P. S. Divakar. He took an initial training under Chembai Vaidhyanatha Bhagavathar and Later became the disciple of Musiri Subrahmanya Iyer and turned to Carnatic Classical Music. He worked as chief producer at Akasavani Delhi and as producer at Akasavani Chennai. He was the president of Sri Tyagaraja Sangita Vidvat Samajam, Tyagarajapuram, Chennai. He published the works of Thyagarajar,

Muthuswamy Dikshitar Muthuswami Dikshitar (Mudduswamy Dikshitar)(, 24 March 1776 – 21 October 1835), mononymously Dikshitar, was a South Indian poet, singer and veena player, and a legendary composer of Indian classical music, who is considered one of the musical ...

and

Syama Sastri Shyama Shastri (; 26 April 1762 – 1827) or Syama Sastri was a musician and composer of Carnatic music. He was the oldest among the Trinity of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar being the other two. Early life and career Sh ...

in English with their meaning. He published around 400 krithis of

Swathi Thirunal ( ml, സ്വാതി തിരുനാള്‍ രാമവർമ്മ) (16 April 1813 – 26 December 1846) was the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Travancore. He is also considered as a brilliant music composer and is credited with over 4 ...

. Very particular that Carnatic Music should be sung with the music of the lyrics understood, he formed a trust for the same named ''Ganamandhir''. He died at Chennai on 18 September 2011. T. K. Govindarao was awarded the prestigious Sangeetha Kalanidhi award of 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 ...

in the year 1999.

Awards

* Kendra sangeetha Natak Academy Award (1996) * Sangeethakalanidhi (1999 - Madras Music Academy) * Sangita Vidvan (1951 from Central College of Karnatak Music, Madras) * GanakalaTilaka (Bangalore) * Sangita Sastra Ratnakara (Bhuvanesvari Pitham) * Svara Samrat (BM Trust KL) * Asthana Vidvan from Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham * Saptagiri Sangita Vidvanmani * Sangita Samrat (Bharatiya VidyaBhavan CBE) * Gayaka Sikhamani * Sangita Chudamani (Sri KrishnaGana Sabha, Chennai) * Nadakkanal * Sangita Ratnakara(USA) * Sangita Acharya * Central Sangita Nataka Akademi Award * Sangita Purnasri * Hanumath GanaSiromani * Sangita Samrat (Mangalore Sabha) * Sri Vedavyasa Vidwanmani * Vivekananda National Award for Excellence * Kerala Sangita Nataka Akademi Award * Gandharva Vidyanidhi * Sangita Paramacharaya * Sangita Sevanirata

References

{{Authority control 1929 births Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Malayalam playback singers 2011 deaths