| Full Name |
Sudha Raghunathan |
| Also known as |
M.L.V. ‘varisu’ |
| Profession |
Vocalist(carnatic music) |
| Date of birth |
April 30. |
| Birth place |
Bangalore |
| Father |
Venkatraman |
| Mother |
Choodamani |
| Brother |
Prasad Venkatraman |
| Husband |
Raghunathan(got married in 1982) |
| Children |
- Son: Kaushik
- Daughter:Malavika
|
| Contact address |
8/1c , Baskarapuram,
East Abhiramapuram, Chennai – 600 004.
Phone : 91 44 499 6600, Fax : 91 44 499 6800
Email : sudaragu@vsnl.com |
| Education |
College -Ethiraj college M.A.( Economics) |
| Gurus |
Mother, Mr.B.V.Lakshman and M. L. Vasanthakumari(started singing with her from 1979) |
| Tutelage with MLV |
She had not taught us any songs. She would sing, mostly in performances from which I had to learn. By following her in all her performances, I came to learn the songs. “ |
| Career started |
At the age of 19 |
| Best performance |
Lincoln Centre in New York. |
| playback singing |
Has rendered three songs in the film ‘Ivan’ |
| Singing style |
Spontaneous |
| Music she likes to hear |
Soothing, sometimes something adventurous music |
| Secrets to |
- her voice: talk in lower volume, and sometimes even complete silence.
- her success: absolute dedication
|
| Favourites |
- Singer- MLV
- Accompaniments: violin, mridangam, morsing, gadam
- Western: electric guitar
- Dish:-vendhiya kozhumbu and of course the all fav aalu (potato).
- Song: baro krishnayya
- Ragas:subapantuvarali, kalyani, hameer, kapi
- Composers: Tyagaraja and Purandaradasa and Sivan, among others.
|
| Facts |
- Top Ranking artiste of the All India Radio, Chennai and performs regularly on AIR and Doordharshan
- unique privelge of being the ‘Astana Vidushi’ of The Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetam, Sringeri, The andavan ashramam, Srirangam the Ahobila Mutt.
- she exceled in debates, quiz, drama and essay writing during her student years
|
| Opinions |
Subbudu(critic):“If I were left deserted on a lonely island, and if I were granted permission to hold three products that I liked very much, I would list the following in order of my preference:
A. An audio-visual cassette of singer Sudha Ragunathan;
B. Betel leaves and tobacco to chew on while I listen to the music
C. Poet Kannadasan’s works. |
| Hobbies |
Reading fictional and inspirational books |
| Charity |
“SAMUDHAAYA FOUNDATION” was founded for social welfare activities on July 1999. The trust has donated money to
- KARGIL DEFENCE PERSONNEL RELIEF FUND.-1999
- cyclone stricken victims of Orissa in December 1999.
- Gujarat Earthquake Relief Fund 2001
|
| Advice to aspiring youngsters |
To be loyal to guru, and be focused in practice. |
| Future goals |
- a school which will represent her style of music
- taking carnatic music from thousands to millions of people.
- to do research on what music can do in the field of medicine
|
Awards and
Honors |
AWARDS
- Woman of Golden Substance Award 1998-99
- MLV Memorial Award, 1998
- Bharat Jyoti, Bharathiya Vidhya Bhavan, New York, 1998
- Sangeetha Choodamani, Sri Krishna Gaana Sabha, Madras 1997
- Senior Musician Award, the ‘Yogam Nagaswamy’ award at the Sadas of the Music Academy 1997
- Bharatha Sangeetha Bhushan —1997
- Sangeetha Bhushini 1996
- ‘Kalaimamani’ award from the govt of tamilnadu-1993
- Sangeetha Saraswathi from The Mahasannidhanam of Sringeri, 1993
- Junior Fellowship for two years ( 1993 to 1995), from the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, given to outstanding Artistes in the field of Performing Arts.
- Sri T. S. Rajam award for ‘Talented Outstanding Musician’ -1992
- Received ‘Most Outstanding Student’ for three years in succession while studying in the Ethiraj College .
HONOURS
- Honour of performing at the Theatre de la Ville, Paris, France – 2000.
- She sang the ‘Vande Mataram’ at the Central Hall of Parliament, New-Delhi on 27th January, 2000 to a full house in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister and other dignitaries to honour the completion of 50 years of the Indian Republic.
- Honour of performing at the Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Centre, New York Broadway in 1998 for Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New York to commemorate 50 years of its inception.
- The only Asian to perform at the ‘International Festival – ECHTERNACH’ at Luxembourg – 1995
- Sang in the 8th World Tamil Conference held in Thanjavur in January 1995
- Honour of participating in the 22nd I.T.C. Sangeeth Sammelan organised by the S. R. A. Calcutta held at Siri Fort, New Delhi in -1993.
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