Tue Mar 11 10:32:51 UTC 2025: ## Eminent Composer Garimella Balakrishna Prasad Passes Away; State Honours Awarded at Funeral

**TIRUPATI, March 11, 2025** – Renowned classical composer and singer Garimella Balakrishna Prasad passed away on Sunday, March 9th, 2025. His funeral, held today with full state honors, saw his mortal remains draped in the Indian tricolor as police paid their respects. Collector S. Venkateswar offered condolences, highlighting the significance of Prasad’s contributions to classical music.

Prasad, who served the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) from 1978 to 2006, is best known for composing music for nearly 1,000 compositions by the 15th-century saint-poet Tallapaka Annamacharya. His work was instrumental in making Annamacharya’s devotional poetry accessible to a wider audience. He was conferred the title of ‘Asthana Vidwan’ (Court musician) by the TTD for his services.

Prasad dedicated his career to interpreting Annamacharya’s philosophy through music, aiming to share its essence with both literature and music enthusiasts. Annamacharya’s vast body of work, comprising over 30,000 compositions, had many lost pieces, but Prasad’s work helped preserve a significant portion.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on social media, praising Prasad’s “soul-stirring renditions” and his role in preserving India’s rich cultural heritage. Prasad’s legacy as a gifted musician and composer will be long remembered.

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