National performance artsaward winners elated

Bengalureans honoured by the Sangeet Natak Akademi look back on their distinguished careers

The Sangeet Natak Akademi awards were announced last week, and had many well-known Bengalureans featured on it. Metrolife spoke to some who have bagged the honours.

MK Ramakrishna, makeup artiste

Makeup Ramakrishna, as he is popularly known, is well-known among theatre lovers. He also won the National Award for his work in the Kannada film ‘Allama’. “The Akademi must have looked at my service in theatre, cinema and TV serials to give me this title. I have been in theatre for 50 years,” he says.

Ramakrishna has worked in plays directed by Girish Karnad, B V Karanth, and G B Joshi. “Makeup has become more and more important — to create mood and project a character. With just an appearance, the audience come to know what characteristics someone has,” explains the Padmanabha Nagar resident. In films, he calls ‘Ghatashraddha’, ‘Chomana Dudi’, and ‘Grahana’ as some of his most challenging works.

RK Padmanabha, vocalist

For a classical vocalist who has won more than 100 titles in his 47-year career, this award holds a special place. “The Akademi’s members are all artistes and to be selected by them is a great honour,” he says.

A music evangelist who has trained hundreds of students, and encouraged group singing sessions, sometimes involving a hundred singers, he now aims to take Carnatic music to the villages. “No music festivals are held in rural areas. They are deprived of the joys of classical music, which people in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hyderabad, and Mumbai enjoy,” the 74-year-old points out.

“Most musicians are well placed today and do not depend on music for their livelihood. They take it up as passion and that is a good change. They are able to contribute to music, even while being employed elsewhere,” he says.

Ravindra Yavagal, tabla maestro

The former AIR artiste, who has been performing for more than five decades, is elated about “the prestigious national recognition”.

“Music has advance multiple fold. Since I also perform with Carnatic musicians, there is a lot to be understood and learnt. Many musicians are stepping away from traditional music, but nothing should come at the cost of the beauty of music,” says Yavagal.

Interest in the tabla has increased thanks to maestros like Zakir Hussain, he feels. “There are many listeners now thanks to stars like him,” he says.

Arun Kumar, drummer

Coming from a family of drummers, Arun Kumar, who has won the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, feels this is one of the biggest accolades he has ever received.

“This award is for contemporary music. I began playing drums professionally when I was 15,” he says. Having performed for over 27 years, he says drumming, of the sort he practices, was common only in Western music. “It has now become an important part in fusion and classical music, both Hindustani and Carnatic, now,” he says.

D Balakrishna, veena maestro

Balakrishna, the veena player known for his chaste rendering of Carnatic ragas, says the award is one of the highest for performing arts in India.
“Every artiste aspires for this honour,” he says. Son of renowned veena player Doreswamy Iyengar, Balakrishna has been a musician for 50 years.

“In recent times, veena performances have increased in number, compared to the three decades after the ‘80s. In the last 10 years, performances have increased,” he says. Over the five decades he has been active on stage, a lot has changed, he says.

“I started my career playing duets with my father. Every concert was a learning experience. I would be nervous as my father was a towering personality. Initially, it was difficult to attract the audience’s attention towards myself. Slowly people started noticing me and comparing me favourably with my father,” he says.

Talking about music now, Balakrishna says this is a “golden period”. “With more sabhas becoming active, and the advent of social media, the opportunities are endless,” he says.

Amith Nadig, flautist

Another winner of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, Amith began playing the flute as a child prodigy. “Winning an award that I have always congratulated other artistes for is exciting,” he says.

Son of flautist B K Anantharam, Amith says the award comes “with pressure to perform better and keep pushing boundaries”. The 37-year-old says the flute is an integral part of music, Hindustani and Carnatic. “When I started, T R Mahalingam and N Ramani had placed the flute as a solo instrument on a pedestal. Young musicians like me are just expected to maintain this quality of music,” he says.