Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar

Ustad Mushtaq Hussain, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Ustad Allauddin Khan and Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer received The Musician award from President Rajendra Prasad (center) in 1952. Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar (19 May 1890 – 23 January 1967 ), popularly known as Ariyakudi, was a Carnatic music vocalist, born in Ariyakudi, a town in the present-day Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu. Ariyakudi developed a unique style of singing which came to be known as The Ariyakudi Tradition and is followed by his students. He is credited with establishing the modern katcheri (concert) traditions in Carnatic music.

In 1952, he received Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, among the first batch of awardees. Two years later, he was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 1954, the highest honour conferred by Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama. This was followed by Padma Bhushan by Government of India in 1958.

Early life and background Ariyakudi was born in Ariyakudi, a village in the southern Karaikudi town in present-day Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu, South India, on 19 May 1890. He studied under Pudukottai Malayappa Iyer and Namakkal Narasimha Iyengar in his early years. Later he studied for several years under Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar,

Career and legacy

He made his debut at Tyagaraja Aradhana in 1918.

The doyen of Carnatic music, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, is known to have remarked, "I was greatly influenced by Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar. I do not want another life. But if there is one, I want to be able to sing like Ramanuja Iyengar". And another maestro, G N Balasubramaniam, a contemporary of Ariyakudi, is known to have prostrated in front of him out of respect. Ariyakudi formed a formidable partnership on the concert platform with mridangam maestro Palghat Mani Iyer and two had a strong friendship born out of mutual respect. Palghat Mani Iyer is reported to have said, "Annaa (Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar) and Iyengarval (Ariyakudi) are like my two eyes".

Disciples Ariyakudi's famous disciples include [V V Sadagopan]K V Narayanaswamy, B. Rajam Iyer, Alepey Venkatesan, Madurai N. Krishnan, and Ambi Bhagavathar. He also had regular interactions with M.S. Subbulakshmi and shaped her musical interests.

Awards Sangeetha Kalanidhi award (1938) Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1952) Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (1954) Isai Perarignar (1950) by Tamil Isai Sangam, Chennai Gayaka Shikhamani by Mysore darbar Padma Bhushan award by Government of India in 1958