M. S. Anantharaman

M. S. Anantharaman was born on 26 August 1924, in a musical family in Paravur, Aluva in present-day Ernakulam district of Kerala. His father Parur Sundaram Iyer was a violinist in the royal palace of Travancore.[1] Iyer, migrated to Chennai from Kerala in 1932.[2] Anantharaman learned the violin at the age of six from his father Sundaram Iyer.[3] His father, who introduced Violin in Hindusthani music,[3] trained Anantharaman and his brother M. S. Gopalakrishnan, both Carnatic and Hindustani music. His elder sister Parur Sitalakshmi was also a violinist.[4] He made his debut at the age of seven.[5] He and his sister played violin duets at the Ramanathaswamy Temple, Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Tiruchendur and Kanyakumari Temple.[4]

Anantharaman designed his own style with his brother.[6] The brothers were popular in Parur Bani (mix of Hidustani and Carnatic styles).[3] He was a regular participant at concerts in Chennai as part of the Markazi festival.[6] Later, when M. S. Gopalakrishnan performed his own violin concerts, Anantharaman became accustomed to accompanying musicians on the violin.[6] Anantharaman became a violinist along with Carnatic musicians including M. S. Subbulakshmi and Hindustani musicians including Omkarnath Thakur.[6]

He has served as a professor of violin in the Tamil Nadu Government Music College in Chennai from 1962 to 1983.[5][7] Later, he taught violin in Pittsburgh, United States also.[7]

His sons M. S. Sundareswaran and M. A. Krishnaswamy were also Carnatic violinists.[6][2] His daughter M. A. Bhagirathi is a Carnatic vocalist.[6][2]

He died on 19 February 2018, at his home at Sri Apparswamy Koil Street, Mylapore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.[8]

• Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 1998[7]
• Kalaimamani award of the Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Manram[7]
• T.T.K award of the Music Academy 1996[7]
• Sangeetha Kala Acharya of the Music Academy[7]
• He was the Asthana Vidwan (Head Scholar) of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham[7]