On Dec 11th 2008 on the occasion of the book release function ‘MS & Radha – Saga of Steadfast Devotion’, Aishwarya sang the Invocation song, ‘Kahe Re Bana’ by Guru Nanak and was blessed by none other than the Hon Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh and Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar. Aishwarya has also given a number of Solo concerts, prominent being at Ramakrishna Mission Coimbatore, Venugopalaswamy Temple Bengaluru, Brahmotsavam Tirupati, Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan – Ooty, Odukathur Mutt , Nadasurabhi, Indian Institute of World Culture and Bharat Sangeet Utsav – Bangalore.

Musical Training

Aishwarya began learning Carnatic Music on Vijayadashami day of Oct 1999, when she was hardly 4 years old from her Great Grandmother Bharat Ratna M.S.Subbulakshmi and her Grandmother Smt Radha Viswanathan. Apart from this, from her 5th to 7th year Aishwarya was also trained by Sharanya Krishnan, disciple of Smt Suguna Purushottaman. From 2002 till date Aishwarya is under the tutelage & guidance of Vidushi Smt.Jambu Kannan who has trained her assiduously. Aishwarya has also been learning the Veena since 2005 from Vidwan A Shankar Raman, disciple of Late Rajeshwari Padmanabhan (of the illustrious Karaikudi Baani)

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She has performed for various sabhas like Karthik Fine Arts, Bhramha Gana Sabha, Parthsarathy Swamy Sabha, Barath Kalachar, Rasiga Ranjani Sabha, Priya Vision and more.

She has also performed at Guruvayoor, Kapaleeshwarar temple, Thirichandoor murugar temple, Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple, Thirunnallaar Saneeswarar temple etc. From being just a dancer, she transformed into a professional teacher in May 2007 by starting her own bharatnatyam institution, AMRITHAVARSHINI, centre for the promotion of Art & Culture.

She has performed for 3 consecutive years at Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaaru bringing various innovative concepts in bharatnatyam like “drums n dance”, Jugalbhandi with 6 percussion instruments, female infanticide awareness etc. Last year she formed her group of elegant dancers and is working on several dance dramas.

She is a trained Carnatic music singer, plays Veena and has started learning to play Mridhangam to improve Thala knowledge.

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Musical Training

Her initial training in music was under Smt S Vedavalli (daughter of Salem Doraisamy Iyengar). Later she learned the nuances of classical singing from many eminent personalities.

Awards & Titles

Jayashree has won many awards, including Sangeetha Vidwa Shironmani by Sri Ramakrishna Gana Sabha , Namakkal ( 2005) and Isai Vani by Deiveega Iyal Isai Mandram , Chennai (2006).

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She is well known for her group productions, and Abinaya Natyalaya has a cultural repertoire of over fifty thematic solo and group productions. These productions have won great appreciation from audiences both in India and abroad, as well as from the press.

‘Navagraha Ula ‘, based on the nine planets which incorporated, for the first time in bharathanatyam, computerised animation and special effects was a great success. This is a mega production in which 60 dancers participate. This ballet incorporates, for the first time in dance, digital animation and visual special effects. The mythological and factual details about each planet are depicted. Navagraha Ula was a major success in Chennai and has now also been released as a video. The press has been unanimous in giving Navagraha Ula excellent reviews. Navagraha Ula has been released as a full length video tape.

Sri Venkatadri Vaibhavam, is Abinaya Natyalaya’s latest production. This production incorporates a unique blend of religion,music, dance and visuals to chronicle the greatness of Tirumala-Tirupathi. ‘Sri Venkatadri Vaibhavam’, which is choreographed entirely by Krishnakumari Narendran, has been set to music by violin maestro Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan. The Tamil lyrics have been penned by Sreekavee. This unique multimedia production enjoyed a very successful performance tour of the United States of America between June and August 2001.

Awards & Titles

Krishnakumari Narendran is a recipient of the prestigious Kalaimamani Award which is sponsored by the Government of Tamil Nadu. With her versatility and distinctive style of choreography, Kalaimamani Smt. Krishnakumari Narendran has carved a distinct niche for herself in the world of Bharathanatyam .She has been bestowed with many titles, Natya Natak Priya, Natya Rathna, Nrithyarathna and the prestigious Kalaimamani are to name a few.

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Swarnamalya means “A golden garland”. A golden girl born with artistic fervour and ordained to shoot to fame donning multi various avatars. A dancer, an anchor, an actress, all with academia in excellence. With her potpourri of talents, quest for knowledge and artistic pursuits, she truly is `The Madonna of Chennai’ as once a newspaper had called her.

A graduate from MOP Vaishnav College where she was the student President. She went on to do her MBA, from Symbiosis, PG Diploma in Acting and Direction from Sanjose State University, CA, USA and at present pursuing her Masters in Bharatanatyam from the Madras University. She is deeply involved in her search and research on certain aspects of dance in which she would be pursuing her doctoral degree.

Films Acted

• Alaipayuthey
• Yuga
• Mozhi
• Vellithirai
• Azhagu Nilayam
• Engal Anna
• Periyar Ramaswami Naicker
• Ennittum
• Kerala Police

Awards & Titles

• `Yuvakala Bharati’ from the Bharat Kalachar at the age of 17 ! The youngest recipient in the history of Bharat Kalachar selected by a Committee consisting of Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman, Dr.Padma Subramaniyam, Smt Chitra Visweswaran, Smt Sudharani Raghupathy, Sri V.P.Dhananjayan, etc.
• `Lakshmi Viswanathan Endowment Prize’ from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha in the year 1998 for the best varnam presentation in the December festival.
• Scholarship from the Tamilnadu Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram.
• Raving reviews from all the senior most dance critics in all leading newspapers and magazines.
• Hosting a dance based TV programme in Srilanka’s Sakthi TV.
• Founder Trustee and Director of RANGA MANDIRA, a Trust founded to promote Bharatanatyam and other performing arts.

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A resolution to push the envelope, bolstered by the confidence that comes from diligent preparation and offset by a clutch of rarely heard compositions, lifted the Ragam Sisters’ (Sivaranjani and Nalinakanthi) concert above run-of-the-mill presentations. Notably, a slew of clearly articulated Tamil compositions grabbed attention.

Ragam Sisters exhibit a slightly high pitched tonal quality that could cruise through the tara sthayi sancharas with certain comfort without much exertion. But frequent jab on the notes and phrases above nishada after a point sound stale and strained. Because of this, Nalinakanti’s account of raga Lalitha sounded just sonorous without soul.

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Their music, imbued with a deep and abiding classicism, has been described as an exhilarating blend of vitality, melody and emotion. Endowed with strong and pliant voices, the sisters have a striking style of their own, which has won the hearts of the traditionalist and lay the rasika at once.

If music is not merely to be heard and comprehended but experienced in the rapturous dimensions of the listeners’ hearts, it was provided to the hilt by Ranjani and Gayatri. Their recital breathed the eternal fragrance and the perennial freshness of Carnatic music.

Born into a family deeply involved in classical music, Ranjani and Gayatri’s musical talents were discovered at a very early age. The sisters, even as toddlers, showed an uncanny capacity to grasp the subtle nuances of Carnatic music. Gayatri could identify over a hundred ragas when she was barely two and a half and Ranjani could delineate complex Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi-s when she was barely five years old. Their formal vocal training commenced under their mother, Smt.Meenakshi an accomplished Carnatic vocalist.

The sisters’ first concert was for the prestigious Indian Music Group, Mumbai in 1986, at the age of thirteen and ten respectively. Through their intense training and fine artistry, they quickly established themselves as top-class violinists of international repute. The sisters achieved spectacular success as violin duet performers, and subsequently they also proved successful as most sought after violin accompanists.

Both Ranjani and Gayatri have accompanied various artistes on the violin, including the legendary D.K.Pattammal, M.Balamurali Krishna, T.Vishwanathan and other popular, leading musicians of their generation. They are the recipients of the Government of India Talent Search Scholarship from the age of ten and winners of the first prize in the All India Radio National Competition for Violin.

Ranjani and Gayatri shifted from Mumbai to Chennai, the Mecca of Carnatic music in the year 1993. Subsequently, they started learning from Padma Bhushan Sri.P.S.Narayanaswamy. They started giving vocal concerts since 1997 and soon won high praise from discerning critics and music lovers all over the globe. Their music, imbued with a deep and abiding classicism, has been described as an exhilarating blend of vitality, melody and emotion.

Their concerts have been featured in all prominent sabhas in the December Music Festival in Chennai, and at premier institutions and prestigious festivals all over India. Ranjani and Gayatri are one of the most sought after vocalists today and their concerts are instant sell-outs. They have performed abroad widely in countries including the United States of America, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, United Kingdom, Australia and the Middle East.

Perfection of sruti, powerful voice control and impeccable aesthetics which reflect the timeless values of classicism – these are some of the qualities that describe the music of Ranjani and Gayatri. Above all this, it is the sisters’ capacity to deeply experience and enjoy what they sing, that takes their music to a different plane. Their two voices blend and contrast to strike a fine balance between vibrancy and contemplation, intellect and emotion, tradition and innovation.

It is this unique combination in their music that appeals to the connoisseur and the lay listener alike. Audiences eagerly await and savour their in-depth Ragam-tanam-Pallavi-s and soul-stirring viruthams, which are special features of Ranjani Gayatri’s repertoire.

They have given many thematic concerts and have an extensive repertoire consisting of gems of the Trinity, old and contemporary Tamil compositions and other languages including Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi and Marathi. The sisters are also gifted composers, who have set to music many abhangs, bhajans, and other compositions.

Ranjani and Gayatri, sisters, are world renowned versatile musicians whose twenty five years of professional experience includes studio recordings, television, radio, concerts, festivals and lecture demonstrations. They have appeared as soloists, violin duos, accompanists, vocal duos, composers, educators and ambassadors of Indian Classical Music. As top class Carnatic classical musicians, Ranjani and Gayatri are conservators of their genre’s unique beauty and preserve ancient tradition as they continue to innovate within it.

Ranjani and Gayatri have performed widely all over India in major festivals. They have also performed abroad in countries including USA, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, the Middle East and UK. They have given many thematic concerts and have an extensive repertoire consisting of gems of the Trinity, old and contemporary Tamil compositions and other languages including Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi and Marathi.

Ranjani and Gayatri, sisters, are world renowned versatile musicians whose twenty five years of professional experience includes studio recordings, television, radio, concerts, festivals and lecture demonstrations. They have appeared as soloists, violin duos, accompanists, vocal duos, composers, educators and ambassadors of Indian Classical Music. As top class Indian classical musicians, Ranjani and Gayatri are conservators of their genre’s unique beauty and preserve ancient tradition as they continue to innovate within it.

Musical Training

They started their violin training at the age of nine and six respectively from Sangita Bhooshanam Prof. T.S. Krishnaswami at the Shanmukhananda Sangeeta Vidyalaya, Mumbai. Their musical values gained shape and direction under the watchful guidance of their father and mentor Sri.N.Balasubramanian. Ranjani and Gayatri’s musical career was launched as they barely reached their teens.

Awards & Titles

Their awards include the Kalki Krishnamurthy Memorial Award awarded by the Kalki Trust, they received the title of “Sangeeta Shanmukha Mani” conferred by Shanmukhananada Fine Arts and Sangeeta Vidyalaya, Mumbai, and won the Outstanding Violinists Award for four consecutive years from the Music Academy, Chennai from 1994 to 1998. Sanskriti Award from Sanskriti Pratishtan, New Delhi (only the third carnatic musicians in thirty years to be so honoured), Title of “Isai Peroli” from the Kartik Fine Arts, Chennai, National Eminence Award from Shanmukhananda Fine Arts, Mumbai and The Kalki Krishnamurthy Memorial Award.”Title of “Isai Peroli” from the Kartik Fine Arts, Chennai.Even as toddlers, showed an uncanny capacity to grasp the subtle nuances of Carnatic music – Gayatri could identify over a hundred ragas when she was barely two and a half and Ranjani could delineate complex rhythm patterns at age five.Gave their debut performance at the prestigious Indian Music Group, Mumbai at the age of 13 and 10 respectively.Received the title of “Sangeeta Shanmukha Mani’ conferred by Shanmukhananada Fine Arts and Sangeeta Vidyalaya, Mumbai in 1990.Won the Outstanding Violinists Award for four consecutive years from the Music Academy, Chennai from 1994 to 1998. Shifted from Mumbai to Chennai, the Mecca of Carnatic music in the year 1993 and started presenting vocal concerts since 1997.Their concerts at prestigious music centers including the Music Academy, Chennai, Narada Gana Sabha, Shanmukhananda Sabha, Delhi have won them several awards.

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They learnt many nuances and subtleties of music during the five-year tenure under them including the advice that the singing should be so clear that the listener should be able to notate the entire kriti. Improving their repertoire was a major project and learning, a continuous process.

Busy artists in the national and international circuits, Priya Sisters have traveled widely for concerts in India and abroad, touring countries like U.S.A., Canada, U.K., Mauritius etc. They have performed in a number of prestigious festivals such as the spirit of unity concerts, Duo festival, Festival of Hyderabad, World Tamil conference etc. They were one of the chosen few to have been invited to perform in the 69th and 70th Birthday celebrations of Bhagawan Sri Satya Sai Baba at Puttaparti. They also had the privilege of performing at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi in the presence of the Former President of India, Sri.R.Venkataraman.

Many well known recording companies have released a number of audio cassettes and compact discs of Priya Sisters. Their albums like ‘In Harmony’, Bhadrachala Ramdas Kritis, Gaanam, Serene Moments, Annamayya Lahari, Giridhara Gopala, Devi Kritis to name a few are in great demand among the listeners. They have also recorded a CD at Portland U.S.A. Their art form is characteristic of the G.N.B. style, with their sruti aligned, attractive, briga-oriented voices lending them ready support to leave an enduring impression on the listener. Priya Sisters are also known for their adherence to tradition as much as their love for tukdas. Priya Sisters are right now taking advanced Pallavi lessons from the King of Pallavis, T.R. Subramanian, who is taking them on an ingenious path of novelty.

Musical Training

They started learning Carnatic music from their father Sri V.V.Subba Ram at an early age. They had their advanced training under the world-renowned duo Kalaimamanis Radha & Jayalakshmi. Presently they are under the scholarly guidance of Prof.T.R.Subramaniam.

Educational Qualification & Sports

For, Shanmukhapriya, a quiet, calm and bold persona, graduated in zoology, music was always a part of her growing years and Haripriya, known to be a Tom-boy, specialised in English Literature and was part of the ‘Under-15 Women’s Cricket Team’! “Our parents insisted that we assimilate good culture and music. Name and fame were the last things we thought of,” says Haripriya.

Awards & Titles

Priya sisters have twice been the recipients of the ‘Best Female Vocalists’ awards of Sri Krishna Gana Sabha and the Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai. They have also received the M.L.V. memorial award. They have been conferred the titles ‘Sangeeta Sarada’ and ‘Gayani Sironmani’. Shanmukha Priya and Hari Priya have received the prestigious ‘Ugadi Purashkar 2000’ from the Madras Telugu Academy for their meteoric rise in the Carnatic Music World.

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He has the unique distinction of accompanying other leading artists like T.R. Mahalingham, Master Shashank and various leading instrumentalists, and is a regular accompanist for K J Yesudas, Sanjay Subramaniam, N. Ramani, Trichur Ramachandran, and more. He has been awarded innumerable titles and awards during his span of service, including the Kalaimamani award.

Since 1980, he has toured almost all countries in the world as an accompanying artist and has been acclaimed as one of the eminent accompanying artists. He is one of the top ranking violin artists.

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