Tripunithura N. Radhakrishnan is a Ghatam exponent from Kerala, India. He is the first artist to receive the noted Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship for Ghatam.[1] He has played the Ghatam in tens of thousands of venues across hundreds of countries.
Tripunithura N. Radhakrishnan | |
|---|---|
| Born | Poonithura, Ernakulam district, Kerala, |
| Occupation(s) | Percussionist, Ghatam exponent |
| Spouse | Lalithambika |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | G. Narayanaswamy Alamelu Ammal |
| Awards | Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award and Fellowship |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Carnatic music |
| Instrument(s) | Ghatam |
| Years active | 1967-Present |
Biography edit
N. Radhakrishnan is the youngest of four children of Alamelu Ammal and Poonithura Valiya Parambu Meethil house G. Narayanaswamy, a renowned musician fondly called as Achasamy by the people in music field in the region.[2] It was his father who taught him the first lessons in mridangam.[3] Thrippunithura Mahadevan, the son of his father's sister, was a Ghatam scholar.[3] Many of the relatives were also percussion instrument artists.[3] He started practicing the Ghatam from a young age, and made his debut at the age of ten.[3][4] Later he got expert training from Parassala Ravi and his cousin Padmabhushan T. V. Gopalakrishnan.
He passed Gana Bhushan from RLV College of Music and Fine Arts, Thripunithura in 1982.[1] Then he passed Gana Praveena from Swathi Thirunal College of Music in Thiruvananthapuram and later a master's degree in Mridangam from Mahatma Gandhi University.[1] He later became a teacher in the college where he studied.[3]
Radhakrishnan has been running the GN Swamy Memorial Music School near the Poornathrayesa Temple in Thripunithura for 21 years.[3] During his fifty years as a Ghatam teacher, he was able to impart lessons to many. Many of these are now professional artists.[3] He also leads a fusion band named Ghatalayatarangam, which includes Ghatam, Chenda and Tabla.[3]
Personal life edit
He and his wife Lalithambika have 2 children, singer Renjith and a daughter.[3] He now resides at Vikram Sarabhai Road, Poonithura.[5]
Musical career edit
Radhakrishnan was one of those who sought to give due recognition to the Ghatam which was known only as a supporting instrument in Indian classical music.[6] His first stage performance was on January 16, 1967.[6] He has played the Ghatam in tens of thousands of venues across hundreds of countries.[7]
Radhakrishnan has played the Ghatam in concerts by famous musicians like Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, M. D. Ramanathan, Maharajapuram Santhanam, Madurai Somasundaram, Dr. M. L. Vasanthakumari, K. V. Narayanaswamy and Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna.[3] In instrumental music, he has performed with noted artists like Lalgudi Jayaraman, T. N. Krishnan, Kadri Gopalnath, U. Srinivas, L. Subramaniam, N. Ravikiran and Shashank.[3]
Radhakrishnan started playing Ghatam for Yesudas 'concert on March 31, 1976, and has been performing at Yesudas' concerts for the last forty one years.[6] He was also involved in the background music of Malayalam films such as Pooram, Rakkuyilin Ragasadassil, Sriragam, Padamudra and Devaasuram.[6]
Awards and honours edit
- Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship 2020[8]
- Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award 1997[9]
- Vasai Fine Arts Society's Lifetime Achievement Award 2019[10]
- Parakkadathu Koyickal Trust's Tripunithura Asthana Vidwan Puraskaram[11]
References edit
- ^ a b c "Tripunithura N Radhakrishnan: A Self-Taught Ghatam Player". India Art Review. 17 February 2021.
- ^ "തൃപ്പൂണിത്തുറ രാധാകൃഷ്ണന്@60 : ഘടത്തില് ശ്രുതിചേര്ത്ത സംഗീതയാത്രയ്ക്ക് 50 വയസ്സ്". Deshabhimani (in Malayalam).
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "യേശുദാസ് വേദികളിലെ സ്ഥിരം സാന്നിധ്യം, പക്കവാദ്യക്കാരുടെ പാഠപുസ്തകം: തൃപ്പുണിത്തുറ എൻ. രാധാകൃഷ്ണൻ അഭിമുഖം". ManoramaOnline (in Malayalam).
- ^ "Ghatam expert Thrippunithura Radhakrishnan shares experience with Manorama News | Manorama News". Manorama News (in Malayalam).
- ^ "അംഗീകാരം ഘടത്തിന്; രാധാകൃഷ്ണന് സന്തോഷം". ManoramaOnline (in Malayalam).
- ^ a b c d Pradeep, K. (1 December 2017). "The man who makes the ghatam sing". The Hindu.
- ^ "സംഗീതസപര്യയുടെ പെരുമയുമായി ഘടം വിദ്വാന് തൃപ്പൂണിത്തുറ രാധാകൃഷ്ണന്". ManoramaOnline.
- ^ "2020 പുരസ്കാര സമർപ്പണം" (PDF) (in Malayalam). Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
- ^ "Classical Music, Awards, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi". www.keralaculture.org.
- ^ "പുരസ്കാര നിറവിൽ തൃപ്പൂണിത്തറ രാധാകൃഷ്ണനും കലാമണ്ഡലം ക്ഷേമാവതിയും". Amchi Mumbai News Portal. 27 December 2018.
- ^ "Award for Tripunithura N. Radhakrishnan". www.kutcheribuzz.com.