Srimushnam V. Raja Rao (born 1955) is an Indian

mridangam The mridangam is a percussion instrument of ancient origin. It is the primary rhythmic accompaniment in a Carnatic music ensemble. In Dhrupad, a modified version, the pakhawaj, is the primary percussion instrument. A related instrument is the ...

player and Carnatic vocalist. He received his initial training in Mridangam from his father S. Venkataramana Rao. He was later a student of Shri Kumbakonam M Rajappa Iyer. He has also received training in Carnatic vocal music from eminent teachers including Sarvashri

Papanasam Sivan Paapanaasam Raamayya Sivan (26 September 1890 – 1 October 1973) was an Indian composer of Carnatic music and a singer. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1971. He was also a film score composer in Kannada cinema ...

, Calcutta Krishnamurthy, and Mayuram Vaidyanatha Iyer. Besides Mridangam, he also plays the

Kanjira The kanjira, khanjira, khanjiri or ganjira, a South Indian frame drum, is an instrument of the tambourine family. As a folk and bhajan instrument, it has been used in India for many centuries. The kanjira's emergence in South Indian Carnatic m ...

and

Morsing The morsing (also mukharshanku, mourching, morching or morchang; Sanskrit: दंत वाद्यन्तरात्मसत्रस्य, Telugu: మోర్సింగ్, Kannada: ಮೋರ್ಸಿಂಗ್, Rajasthani: मोर� ...

. He has worked as a visiting professor of Mridangam at the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...

, USA. In the 2018

music season Chennai Music Season is an event hosted every Mid November–January in Chennai (formerly known as ''Madras'') Tamil Nadu. Spanning some 9 weeks, it comprises top-flight professional and amateur musicians . The traditional role of the Music Sea ...

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 ...

dropped Rao from its programming due to allegations of sexual harassment against him.

Awards

* Award from Kanchi Mahaswami, 2010 *

Sangeetha Choodamani Sangeetha Choodamani ( ta, சங்கீத சூடாமணி) is an award bestowed on selected carnatic musicians by Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai (India) every year. The Sabha conducts a music festival called ''Gokulashtami Sangeetha Ut ...

by Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai 2011 * Sangeet Natak Academy Ratna Fellow from the Government of India, 2010

References

External links

Citation on the Sangeet Natak Academy website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, Srimushnam V. Raja 1955 births Living people Mridangam players Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award