Sun Mar 23 10:24:34 UTC 2025: ## Renowned Violinist R.K. Shriramkumar Awarded Prestigious Sangita Kalanidhi

**Chennai, March 23, 2025** – Veteran violinist R.K. Shriramkumar has been selected for the prestigious Sangita Kalanidhi award by the Music Academy, a highly coveted honor in the Carnatic music world. The announcement was made by Academy president N. Murali on March 23rd.

Shriramkumar, a member of the renowned Rudrapatnam family of musicians, has accompanied leading Carnatic artists for decades, including legends like Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and M.S. Subbulakshmi, as well as contemporary musicians such as Sudha Raghunathan and T.M. Krishna. He is also recognized as an authority on the Sangita Sampradaya Pradarsani of Subbarama Dikshitar, a significant compilation of Muthuswami Dikshitar’s compositions. Mr. Murali noted the appropriateness of this award in the year marking the 250th anniversary of Muthuswami Dikshitar’s birth.

Shriramkumar’s musical lineage is impressive. He is the grandson of violinist R.K. Venkatarama Shastry, who conducted the Thiyagaraja Aradhana for nearly 40 years. He received training from several eminent musicians, including his grandfather, Savitri Satyamurthy, V.V. Subrahmanyam, and Sangita Kalanidhi Shri D.K. Jayaraman. His granduncle, Sangita Kalanidhi R.K. Srikantan, and uncles, the Rudrapatnam Brothers, are also notable figures in Carnatic music.

Expressing his gratitude, Shriramkumar attributed the honor to “God’s grace and the blessings of my gurus.” As the Sangita Kalanidhi recipient, he will preside over the academic sessions of the Music Academy’s 99th annual conference and concerts, scheduled from December 15, 2025, to January 1, 2026.

Other awards announced include the Nritya Kalanidhi award for dancer Urmila Satyanarayala, Sangita Kala Acharya awards for vocalist Shymala Venkateswaran and thavil maestro T.R. Govindarajan, and TTK awards for Kathakali artiste Madambi Subramania Namboothiri and veena players J.T. Jeyaraaj Krishnan and Jayasri Jeyaraaj Krishnan. The awards ceremony is set for January 1, 2026.

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