Panjal Unnikrishnan

Panjal Unnikrishnan also known as Kalamandalam Panjal Unnikrishnan and Kalamandalam Unnikrishnan is an Indian percussionist from Kerala. He is primarily a Chenda player and also plays the Edakka. He received several awards and honors including the senior fellowship by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, the Pravasi Kalasree award 2013 by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi and the 2014 Kerala Kalamandalam Award for Chenda. In 2022, he received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship, the highest award of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Government of Kerala.

Biography Unnikrishnan was born on March 18, 1944, at Panjal in present-day Thrissur district of Kerala. He started learning Chenda from Thamattoor Shankaran Nair and later received training from Kalamandalam Achunni Poduval. He studied 5-year diploma at Kerala Kalamandalam during 1957–62. In 2022, he received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship, the highest award of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Government of Kerala.