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The Music Academy at its meeting on March 19, 2024, unanimously chose to grant the awards, ” said N. Murali, chairman of the Academy.
Previously the Sangita Kalanidhi Awards for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022 were announced together last year as the festival couldn’t be conducted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The recipients were noted vocalist Neyveli R. Santhanagopalan for 2020, mridangam maestro Tiruvarur Baktavatsalam for 2021, and violinists Lalgudi GJR Krishnan and GJR Vijayalakshmi for 2022.
For this year the Sangita Kalanidhi Award will be conferred on Ms Jayashri on January 1, 2024, the day of Sadas. As the nominee, she will also be presiding over the academic sessions of the 97th annual conference and concerts of the Academy between December 15, 2024, and January 1, 2024.
Ms Jayashri is presently in the UK for a tour and performance for the Milap Arts Organisation, and was conveyed the information for which she thanked the Academy, her guru late violinist Lalgudi Jayaraman, her parents and family, co-musicians and followers of her music.
Who is Bombay Jayashri?
For those unaware, Vidushi Bombay Jayashri Ramnath, popularly known as Bombay Jayashri, is a famous Indian Carnatic musician and singer who has sung in various languages including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bhojpuri and Hindi. She is known for her melodic voice and compositions, with her first live performance in 1982 alongside SP Balasubrahmanyam, performing the music of the legendary MS Viswanathan.
Born in Calcutta in a musical family, she was trained initially by her parents and later by the Padma Bhushan Indian Carnatic violinist, vocalist and composer Lalgudi Gopala Jayaraman, and T.R. Balamani.
Ms Jayashri is also trained in Hindustani Classical Music and received training under K Mahavir Jaipurwale and Ajay Pohankar. She studied Bharatanatyam in Mumbai under Guru K Kalyanasundaram Pillai of Shri Rajarajeshwari Bharatha Natya Kalamandir.
The world-renowned vocalist has also sung a great many numbers for the Tamil film music industry including a duet with Malaysia Vasudevan in the film ‘Natpu’, ‘Kaiveenaiyai Endhum Kalaivaniye’ in ‘Vietnam Colony’, ‘Ninnai Saranadainthen’ in the film ‘Bharathi’, all in the music of Ilaiyaraaja, and a version of Narumugaiye for the film Iruvar (1997) composed by A R Rahman.
She won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the number ‘Suttum Vizhi’ (Ghajini) in 2005 and the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer – Tamil for the song ‘Vaseegara’ from the film Minnale in 2001. She is also the voice behind the famous song ‘Zara Zara’ from the 2001 movie Rehnaa Hai Tere Dil Mein.
She sang on the track ‘Pi’s Lullaby’ in 2012 for the motion picture Life of Pi, directed by Ang Lee, which was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Original Song category.
She has received numerous other accolades including the Sangeetha Choodamani (2005), Kalaimamani (2007), Sangeetha Kalasarathy (2007), and the prestigious Padma Shri in 2021.
Other Awards by The Music Academy, Madras
The Music Academy is also conferring the Nritiya Kalanidhi award for dance to Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi dancer Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari.
The Sangita Kala Acharya award is being given to Carnatic vocalist Palkulangara Ambika Devi from Kerala and mridangam player K.S. Kalidas, a student of the late Palani M. Subramania Pillai. Arimalam S. Padmanabhan will be awarded the musicologist award for research work in classical music, dance, theatre, folk music, and classical Tamil literature.
Bombay Jayashri will be in concert at the Tung Auditorium, 60 Oxford Street, Liverpool L7 3NY on March 24. See www.milapfest.com for more.
