K. V. Prasad

Kalaimamani K. V. Prasad (born 4 May 1958) is an Indian percussionist from Kerala, who plays the Mridangam and performs Carnatic music. He is known for being a versatile percussionist, with deft fingering, a key element of the grand Thanjavur style he is trained in.

Career K. V. Prasad born on 4 May 1958 in Ernakulam, Kerala. As a child, whenever he went to the Ernakulam Shiva Temple, with his father Krishna Iyer, who was known locally as 'Castrol Krishna Iyer', Prasad would play the Chenda in the temple. One day, Marar, the staff artist at the temple, who observed his interest on this percussion instrument, asked his father to train him in some percussion instrument. His father accepted that, but decided to teach him the Mridangam instead of the Chenda.

Prasad started training in Mridangam at the age of 6 under the tutelage of Ernakulam Narayana Iyer and later trained for 15 years under Parassala Ravi, principal of the Swathi Thirunal College of Music in Thiruvananthapuram and T. K. Murthy. He also received training in other percussion instruments like the Chenda and Edakka, and in Carnatic vocals. He also learnt vocal music from a very young age for almost 12 years under Ottapalam Mahadeva Iyer at the Kerala Fine Arts Hall.

He has accompanied M. S. Subbulakshmi from 1984 to 1998 until her retirement from public performances. Along with M.S. Subbulakshmi, he had the privilege to represent India at the festival of India in Moscow in 1987. He is also into film music recordings for the past 30 years and has worked with many great film music directors. He has played for a number of Malayalam film songs, many of which, like "Pramadavanamveendum" from the film His Highness Abdullah and "Orumuraivanthu" from Manichitrathazhu, turned out to be hits. He also had the opportunity to do a mridangam mix for a recording by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer supported by M. S. Subbulakshmi, which was sung informally and without any accompaniment. This was released as an album titled Divine Unison. Prasad graduated from Sacred Heart College, Kochi in 1978. The Vani Kala Sudhakara conferred by the Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha, Chennai (2011). Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his contribution to the field of music (2012). Sangeetha Choodamani Award (2025).

K.V. Prasad ji receiving Sangeet Natak Akademi Award from erstwhile President of India Pranab Mukherjee in 2012.