Varanasi Vishnu Namboothiri

Varanasi Vishnu Namboothiri is a Maddalam exponent from Kerala, India, best known for playing Maddalam for Kathakali performances. He received several noted awards including Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Gurupooja Award and Kerala Kalamandalam Award.

Biography Vishnu Namboothiri was born on 20 January 1937, in Mavelikkara in present-day Alappuzha district to Varanasi Illam Narayanan Namboothiri and Draupadi Antarjan. He is the brother of famous Kathakali chenda artist Varanasi Madhavan Namboothiri. Karuvatta Kumarapanikkar and Vennimala Ramavaryar introduced Vishnu Namboothiri to play Maddalam. He received his expert Maddalam training from Kerala Kalamandalam under Kalamandalam Appukutty Pothuval and Kalamandalam Nambisankutty and from Unnai Warrier Memorial Kalanilayam under Chalakudy Narayanan Nambisan. Kerala Kalamandalam Vadya Award (2009) Kalamandalam Hyderali Memorial Award Travancore Devaswom Board's Kalaratnam Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham has been awarded him the title Asthana Vidwan (Head Scholar) Chennithala Chellappan Pillai Memorial Award Kalamandalam Padmashree Krishnan Nair Memorial Award Kalamandalam Appukutty Pothuval Memorial Award Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Pothuval Memorial Kalasagar Award Kannur Neelakanthar Memorial Kathakali Award