Inspirations

I nspirations are a must to be creative. Anuradhaji’s sources of inspiration have been countless and she is indeed thankful to all of these. However, a personality who has been an eternal source of inspiration and guidance to her is the doyen of Indian Classical Music, Dr. M. Balamurlikrishna.

Dr. Mangalampalli Balamurlikrishna, a child prodigy who has flowered into a multifaceted musical genius was born on July 6, 1930 , at Sankaraguptam. He gave his first performance at the age of eight and became a prolific ‘Vaggeyakara’ before he was fifteen!! Dr. Mangalampalli Balamurlikrishna has enriched Carnatic music with a number of compositions which include Varnam, Kritis, Javalis, devotional songs, tillanas and songs in all the 72 ‘Melakarta Ragas’. He is also an enterprising instrumentalist who plays the Viola, Violin, Khanjira, Veena and Mridangam. He has sung in Tamil, Oriya, Marathi, Telugu, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi.

Honors have been bestowed aplenty upon this multifaceted personality. He is perhaps the only musician who has won triple National Awards – as best music director, as best playback singer and as an outstanding classical vocalist. From having a road named after him to being honored for his services for National Integration, from having the title of ‘ Gana Sudhakara’ conferred upon him at the age of eleven to being recognized as a recipient of India’s topmost civil honors, Dr. M. Balamurlikrishna has been the recipient of innumerable honors and the titles of the most prestigious kind - the Padmashri, the PadmaVibhushan, Sangita Kalanidhi award of the Music Academy, Chennai, the Central Sangita Natak Academy award, Dinanath Mangeshkar award, National Citizen award etc are just a few more prominent ones in the list of honors. He was the first incumbent of the Radhakrishnan Centenary Chair of the University of Hyderabad . He has number of Doctorates and memberships of expert committees of Universities which also includes National Professorships. He is the member of the governing body of Kalakshetra Foundation. Recent addition to the jewels in his crown is the post of Pro-Chancellor of Telagu University, an honor given for the first time to a musician.

Dr M. Balamurlikrishna truly holds a position way above the rest in the field of Indian Classical Music. In a career spread over six and half decades, he has played every role to perfection. Beginning by being recognized as a child prodigy in the Carnatic music circles he has carved a niche for himself in the arena of world music as a multi talented personality. He is a versatile Vocalist, a veteran Vaggeyakara, a perfect playback singer, a melodious music director, an amusing actor, a typical Therapist of music and a mentor, guide, philosopher and friend – all combined into one

Anuradhaji and Antara Nritya Niketan have been truly blessed to have Dr. Mangalampalli Balamurlikrishna as their friend, philosopher and guide. They hereby dedicate all their efforts in the field of art to this ‘Great Son of India’.

 

Other Inspirations