Film director Bala, Ilayaraja and thavil player Haridwaramangalam A.K. Palanivel at the shooting of the film.
It is music maestro Ilayaraja’s 1000th film. And, it should come as no surprise that the film, Tharai Thappattai, seeks to capture the interaction and tension between the world of classical and folk music.
For, it was Ilayaraja who infused folk elements, in all its dimensions, into film music. The film also marks the coming together of some of the best talent in Tamil cinema.
And joining hands with director Bala, actor Sashi Kumar and Malayalam music director and singer Sharath in their venture is thavil player Haridwaramangalam A.K. Palanivel, who has played a solo for the film. Ilayaraja has already recorded the songs for the film and Sharath, a student of eminent vocalist Balamuralakrishna, has rendered a song based on a classical raga.
Given the storyline, Ilayaraja has roped in Palanivel to present authentic percussive elements. “Though I am not fully aware of the storyline, I am told that I am playing for the hero’s father, a classical musician. The son drifts towards folk music,” said Palanivel, who had earlier worked with A.R. Rahman for the song kannodu kaanbathellaam thalaiva in the film Jeans . “I have also toured the globe with Rahman,” he said.
Palanivel recently attended the shooting of Tharai Thappattai along with Bala, Ilayaraja and other members of the unit at Karanthai in Thanjavur. In the beginning, writer Jeyamohan wrote the script. But, the task was subsequently given to the lead actor Sashi Kumar.
“There is no good music or bad music. How one presents it is more important. You can play a korvai or sangathi elegantly, or in a perverse manner,” said Palanivel, the first thavil player to receive the Padma Shri award.
Palanivel, who learnt thavil from Tirucherai Muthukumarasamy Pillai, first played for Kaathoduthaan Naan Pesuven , a film by Girija Pakkirisamy, the mother of actor Sripriya, which did not see the light of the day.
Palanivel has teamed up with Saxophonist Kadri Gopalnath and tabla player Zakir Hussain apart from well-known nagaswaram players. Recalling his gurukulam days in Tirucherai, Palanivel, nicknamedvandu (beetle) for his diminutive figure, said the local people, frequently spotting him swimming in the Saranatha Perumal temple tank, used to warn his teacher that he might drown. “They advised him to send me home. But he said I would survive and earn a name. His words proved prophetic,” the thavilplayer recalls.
Tharai Thappattai to capture interaction and tension between the world of classical and folk music
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by B. Kolappan / Chennai – February 09th, 2015
Saturday evening saw book lovers gathering at the more than 150-year-old Nilgiri Library at Ooty to celebrate two events—the opening of the refurbished Wardrop Room and the felicitation of member of the Atomic Energy Commission Dr M R Srinivasan. Srinivasan, a longtime resident of Ooty and a member of the library, was feted for recently receiving the Padma Vibhushan.
The Wardrop Room, which underwent a six-month restoration costing Rs 1 lakh, was inaugurated by Lt General S K Gadeock, AVSM, Commandant, Defence Service Staff College, Wellington. The restoration was partially funded by INTACH-Nilgiris chapter.
The Nilgiri Library, which celebrated its 150th anniversary a few years ago, is one of the oldest libraries in the country. The magnificent building on Commissioner’s Road in Ooty was designed by Robert Fellows Chisholm, who also designed Senate House at the University of Madras.
Geetha Srinivasan, president of the library as well as of INTACH-Nilgiris chapter, said, “Books impart knowledge, which builds self confidence. People who have inculcated the reading habit from a young age can never be lonely as books will always be their companions. This is what makes this library important apart from the heritage value of the building and the books within it.”
The restored Wardrop Room has a portrait of Queen Victoria in a gilded frame over the mantelpiece. While the skin tones are Rubenesque, the painting is in the style of the Dutch Masters, she said, adding that there are only three such paintings in the world.
On August 28, 1867, the foundation stone of the main library was laid by A J Arbuth. With its vast Gothic hall and Tudor windows, the Nilgiri Library is a symbol of how public places can be restored and put to modern use, said Srinivasan.
Gadeock said, “The Nilgiri Library is unique and must be preserved.” He donated Rs 10,000 towards maintenance of the library. He also honoured Srinivasan with a Toda shawl and said, “Dr Srinivasan is a great icon who played a pivotal role in the nuclear programme.”
Recollecting his days of working with Dr Homi J Bhabha and Dr Vikram Sarabai, Srinivasan said, “It was a great privilege to work with legends.”
Ramakrishnan Nambiar, secretary, Nilgiri Library, said, “Dr M R Srinivasan has made the Nilgiris district proud.”
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / by Shantha Thiagarajan, TNN / February 09th, 2015
As the new year gets underway, it’s time what is now rather unrecognisably being called Vivanta by Taj Connemara begins thinking of how to celebrate its 125th birthday on November 27th and to tell everyone that it is the oldest Western-style hotel in South India still-in-business. Its roots, however, go back to even before 1890.
On the Connemara’s site by what was once called the Neill statue junction there was one of Madras’s earliest Western-style hotels, The Imperial, dating to 1854 and long pre-dating the controversial statue to one of the hangmen of the Great Revolt, Gen. James Neill. An 1880 advertisement referring to the Neill Statue location and the date of establishment has its proprietor T. Ruthnavaloo Moodeliar stating that the “Premises consist of a large Upstair House, detached Bungalow, and Bachelor’s quarters” and urging the public to take a look at the hotel’s “Testimonial Books, which certify to the respectability, comfort and good management of the Establishment.” The buildings referred to were no longer those of John Binny, who sank the roots of Binny’s in 1799 after having been in the Nawab of Arcot’s service from 1797 and from whom he had acquired the property. He lived in this garden house till his death in 1821 after which Binny’s sold the property which eventually came into Ruthnavaloo Moodeliar’s hands.
Somewhere along the way, The Imperial became the Albany, no doubt the name given to it by a new lessee, and then became the Connemara, the name given to it in 1890 by the brothers P. Cumaraguru and Chokalinga Mudelly who took it on a three-year lease. On December 3, 1890, the brothers “solicited” in an advertisement a trial of their new establishment which was only “a minute’s walk to the Madras Club”. The advertisement (alongside) promised “nothing is wanting to constitute it a really first class hotel” and also “guaranteed” an “excellent table”. Its new name, however, is unexplained.
But The Madras Mail of November 27, 1890, reporting on the opening of the Connemara wrote, “In the dim and distant future when people as yet unborn will bend their steps to Chennaipatnam (a remarkably prophetic quote, your columnist thinks) and seek boarding and lodging at the ‘Connemara’, they may be induced by a laudable curiosity to enquire ‘why does this hotel bear the name of a district of the County Galway in Ireland’. Then will the phenomenally well informed, old inhabitant make reply, and enlarge on the halcyon days when my Lord Connemara ruled the land, lived his little span, and then passed away, neither unregretted nor unsung. Well may his Excellency exclaim with the bard, when he reads the legend in large characters that spans the chief entrance to the Hotel referred to:
‘Nor fame I slight, nor for her favours I call,
She comes unlooked for, if she comes at all.’ ”
Eugene Oakshott of Spencer’s, bent on expanding his empire, acquired the hotel on April 23, 1891 and let the lease to the Mudelly brothers run till its end in 1893 when he got his partner James Stiven to run the hotel. At the time garden houses were the spaces used for hotels. Stiven reconstructed the Connemara and in May 1901 it became Madras’s first hotel to be housed in a building specifically built to be a hotel. On July 1, 1913, Eugene Oakshott’s sons Percy and Roy sold the hotel to Spencer’s in whose hands it still remains a hundred years later, though it is managed by The Taj Group.
*****
Of shells and bombs
At a lunch the other day, my neighbour at the table wanted to know whether I learn something new from the readers who write to this column. I told her that I learn something new every day not only from all those who keep the postman and other means of communication busy but from the journals and other publications I receive as well as the places I visit.
The plaques at the Fort Museum
I mention this because of something I learnt from a picture of an exhibit in the Fort Museum that I found in a publication I received recently. For years I’ve been visiting the Fort Museum but till now had not really read the information on two brass plaques there. After reading the first few lines on the first plaque, I had skipped the rest thinking that all of it had to do with the shelling of Madras by the SMS Emden in 1914, a subject which I had read much about. But to my surprise the picture I looked at the other day showed the second plaque providing me a more positive answer to a question I’ve often been asked about whether Madras had been bombed by the Japanese during World War II and to which I always tended to give uncertain answers. And there the answer has been all these years in the Fort Museum. Yes, Madras was bombed — not in 1942, as all who’ve asked me the question tended to believe, but in 1943. That raises a mystery or two, which I’ll come to in a moment.
First the two plaques. One is titled ‘Bombardment of Madras’, the other ‘Bombing of Madras’. The first displays a fragment of a ‘shell’ fired by the Emden and presented to the Museum by V.K. Ratnasabapathy of Bangalore and the other displays a fragment of a ‘bomb’ — all the terminology, I note, is perfectly correct — “dropped by a Japanese fighter craft on Madras on 12th October 1943…” It was presented to the Museum by A.V. Patro, Commissioner of Police, Madras. And it can’t get more official than that.
But despite the official seal to the information there remains a mystery or two. Few fighter aircraft carried bombs during World War II. Fighters were also short range aircraft, particularly if it was a Mitsubishi Zero (or its seaplane version) as many surmise it was. So did it come from an aircraft carrier? But by 1943, the Japanese had virtually quit the Indian Ocean. So where was there a carrier? Answers from anyone?
******
The Boddam statue
Justice Hungerford Tudor Boddam, a Puisne Judge of the Madras High Court (1896-1908), is one of the few British High Court judges to have a statue of him raised in the city. And I have often wondered why, particularly as he was said to be a mediocre judge. I recently came across an account which might explain why he was so privileged. Apparently he took a considerable interest in the activities of the Madras Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). This included getting its handsome building on Vepery High Road built and inaugurated in 1900 and persuading leading local citizens like Raja Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar, Lodd Govindoss and G. Narayanaswami Chetty to get involved with the Society’s activities. The statue was first raised near the Willingdon (now Periyar) Bridge on Mount Road but was later moved to Napier Park from where it’s gone into seclusion till the Metro authorities keep their promise and return it to Napier Park once their work in finished.
The statue of Justice Boddam
A proposal for such a society was first discussed in 1877 by some of the leading Europeans of Madras, but it was established only in 1881, with the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos its first Patron and Bishop Frederick Gell its first President. It had in its first years an entirely European membership, Indians showing little interest in its activities which focused on preventing the ill-treatment of animals and improving the conditions under which they were maintained. It was Boddam’s efforts that led to Indians joining the Society from 1903. By then Boddam had got Raja Venugopala Mudaliar to fund the Hospital for Animals that stands in Vepery in the donor’s name.
The society had no plenary powers during the first years of its existence. In 1894, Government conferred on it plenary powers and the SPCA was granted police powers to charge persons ill-treating animals. Starting with action it took when, in 1936, 23 goats were slaughtered in a mutt in Kumbakonam to the chanting of mantras and the flesh offered to the deities, it did much to bring down animal sacrifice in the State.
Boddam was also responsible for persuading the local citizenry to found a pinjrapole. The same citizenry, mainly the Gujaratis of Madras, were possibly those whose “subscription” made possible the 1911 statue.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by S. Muthiah / February 08th, 2015
Western classical music maestro Zubin Mehta will perform with over 100 musicians of the Australian World Orchestra (AWO) in Chennai in October this year. This programme has been made possible in part thanks to funding support announced by the Australian Government.
The Australian Minister for the Arts George Brandis QC announced that the government will provide $2,50,000 (AUD) in funding to support the AWO’s tour to three Indian cities – Mumbai, Chennai and New Delhi, said a press release here from the Australian Consulate General, Chennai.
The AWO’s musicians have performed in leading world orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Arriving in Mumbai, then coming to Chennai and going to Delhi. The final details are being worked out.
Mr. Mehta has previously conducted the AWO for concerts in Sydney and Melbourne and was so impressed with them that he decided to invite the orchestra to perform in India.
Australian Consul-General to South India Sean Kelly said: “I am delighted that we can help bring the Australian World Orchestra and Maestro Zubin Mehta to Chennai this year.”
As part of the tour, orchestra will also deliver an education program to young Indian musicians and perform Haydn’s Toy Symphony in a series of concerts for underprivileged children, with the involvement of a number of Australian and Indian cricketers.
Australian High Commissioner to India, Patrick Suckling, said the concert tour would be a rare opportunity for Indian audiences to experience the finest talents in Western classical music from India and Australia.
“This is a wonderful example of the growing cultural engagement between Australia and India, which is a critical foundation of the relationship between our two countries,” Mr. Suckling said.
The press release also said that cultural engagement has been a key priority for both the Australian and India Governments and during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Australia in November 2014, Mr. Modi and Prime Minister Tony Abbott witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Arts and Culture.
Mr. Modi also announced a Festival of Indian Culture in Australia in 2015/16 to showcase the dynamism and diversity of contemporary Indian culture. Further information on the AWO can be found on their website www.australianworldorchestra.com.au
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Prasanth Radhakrishnan / Chennai – February 09th, 2015
As part of the Indian Coast Guard Day celebrations, a quiz competition was organised by Headquarters Coast Guard Region (East) at the Chennai Port for school children, onboard the ship Sarang recently.
Participants from SBOA School emerged champions, while Bala Vidya Mandir and Sivaswami Kala emerged runners-up. P Vanankamudi, vice-chancellor, Dr Ambedkar Law University, Tamil Nadu, inaugurated the competition, in the presence of Ila Sharma, president, Coast Guard Wives Welfare Association (Tatrakshika), East.
Speaking at the event, Vanankamudi said that Swachh Bharat was not only a call for cleanliness on streets, but also politics in the country. He pointed out that quiz competitions like these gave youngsters confidence and helped groom their leadership skills.
At least 80 students from 25 Schools from classes eight to 11 registered and participated in the quiz competition. The quiz was conducted by quiz master V V Ramanan.
He quizzed the students about the memorials constructed in the name of Mahatma Gandhi.
The aim of the competition was to create awareness among school children about the duties and responsibilities of Indian Coast Guard, which is entrusted with task of safeguarding the extensive coastlines as well as the adjacent waters of the Indian Peninsula. The quiz also aimed at motivating the youth to join the Indian Coast Guard.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service / February 04th, 2015
Do youngsters know the mystifying story of hakims and veds, or the bonesetters and roadside dentists who carry on their business quietly in the winding streets of the city? Does a quintessential city-bred person know how a Tulasi plant can serve as a remedy for several diseases, besides various other herbs grown in the country? In a bid to unveil the rich culture of medicine in India, Medicine Art, an arts project by Wellcome Collection, the public cultural venue in London of the Wellcome Trust – one of the world’s biggest medical charities, was recently launched in the city.
According to Ratan Vaswani, project consultant for Medicine Corner, “The aim of the project is to look at the glorious variety of ways Indian civilisation, historically and today, has approached health and healing. It will throw light on the world-beating advances that India has made in affordable medical technology, such as the Jaipur foot; scientifically advanced surgical techniques that were developed in India in pre-colonial times, and also, how traditional medicine has evolved. There was never, historically, an Ayurvedic or Unani pharmaceutical industry but now it’s huge. How that happened is something we will examine.”
As a prologue to what one can look forward to in the year-long project of research that would culminate with an exhibition and small documentaries in 2016, BLOT! had its team capturing videos of informal practitioners, images of educational charts taught to children and producing animation works to come up with over a three minute video that marked Medicine Corner’s launch in the city. With high octane electronic beats to go in the background, Avinash Kumar from BLOT! says that the idea of the video is to make the project reach the youth, and convert the research into something that people would be curious about.
According to Ratan, the idea to club a topic like Medicine with art, comes from the work that Wellcome Trust does. “It’s focus isn’t just lab or field research. It has always been interested in exploring medicine as a cultural phenomenon. In London, it has a public cultural venue, Wellcome Collection. The gallery there shows contemporary art. It has a magnificent Library full not just of manuscripts but amazing historical paintings and other wonders,” he says. Apart from BLOT!, Medicine Corner will be collaborating with curator Lina Vincent, who will help organise a major exhibition at the CSMVS museum in Mumbai in January 2016, and other visual artists.
For details, visit their website: www.medicinecorner.in
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express Features / February 04th, 2015
Charanya Kannan and Deepika Murali win the Mrs Chennai and Miss Madras contests
Charanya Kannan
Charanya Kannan has always been on the go. A corporate professional, a trained dancer, scuba diver and former Doordarshan anchor, when maternity left her home-bound, Charanya was left searching for a positive outlet for her energy. The quest ended when she enrolled herself in the Mrs Chennai pageant organised by Virgo events in association with PGP Joyeria. Leaving home a six-month old baby can be painful, but Charanya was determined to get back to her old active life. “I was posted in Korea and came to Chennai, my hometown, on maternity break. This was when I heard about Mrs. Chennai. After being a full-time stay-at-home mom for six-months and taking care of my baby, I thought it was time to do something for myself. Mrs. Chennai was the perfect opportunity,” she says.
The contest gave her a chance to discover skills she hardly knew she possessed. “While I think the talent round saw me through the competition, where I performed Bharatnatyam dance, other rounds such as jewellery making, spot painting helped me unleash a creative side of me that I had never explored before. Hitting the gym was also refreshing,” says this resident of Mandavelli.
The semi-final rounds were the most hectic and her family ensured she could concentrate fully on the event, by taking care of the other aspects of her life. “People say it is an all new life after pregnancy. But the event made me realise that you could go back to your old life in just six months. I am going to pursue my masters in management at Harvard Business School.” She was the title winner of the contest.
Varsha Vijay, resident of Royapettah, was the first runner-up and Ashwini of Tambaram, the second runner-up.
Deepika Murali
Miss Madras
Deepika Murali had no intentions of joining the event. She didn’t think she would enjoy ramp walking. But when her sister, who was participating in the Mrs. Chennai contest, persuaded her to join, she gave her name.
“I was lethargic at the start of the event. But as we approached the semis, I was so into the event that I was determined to stay on till the finish. I enjoyed the communication round the most. And the jewellery making round has introduced me to the world of quilled ornaments,” says this resident of Alwarpet. She calls the event a launch pad for aspiring models. She was the title winner of the Miss Madras contest.
Meera Mitun of Chetpet was the first runner up and Esha Gohil of Kilpauk the second runner up.
The jury consisted of singer Sowmiya, dancer Prasanna, actors Aditya Menon and Ganesh Venkatram, music director James Vasanthan and fashion designer Richa Kapoor. The event was held at Kamarajar Arangam, Teynampet.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Downtown / by K. Sarumathi / Chennai – January 31st, 2015
Always in vogue: A visual delight for automobile lovers and beachgoers, the cars rolled through a passage of people on Elliot’s Beach Road. / Photo: K.V. Srinivasan / The Hindu
The seventh edition of The Hindu Chennai–Pondy Heritage Car Rally was kickstarted with much fanfare
Wolf horns and revving up of engines were excused on Elliot’s Beach, on Saturday morning, as even policemen stood awestruck by the sight of vintage beauties as they rolled past them, towards Puducherry.
The seventh edtion of The Hindu Chennai–Pondy Heritage Car Rally began with much fanfare, with a fleet of vintage and classic cars taking the first turn on to 4th Main Road towards a 142-km drive to Puducherry.
Curious crowds thronged the beach from 7 a.m. as vintage cars began arriving one after the other.
As mobile phone cameras began flashing, it was time for the Austins, Chevys, Morris Minors and Fiats — a total of over 60 cars — to kickstart the heritage rally.
It was flagged off by Balsingh George, chairman and managing director of Golden Homes Private Ltd., around 8.30 a.m.
A visual delight for automobile lovers and beachgoers, the cars rolled through a passage of people. Many enthusiasts were seen elbowing their way across as they tried to capture every car that passed through.
A few vintage jeeps, including one from the Ford stables, stopped to pick up a few people from the audience, giving the rest a rare photo op.
The rally reached Puducherry by evening and the vintage cars did not fail to attract huge crowds, once again, on Beach Road there.
In the final leg of the rally, the participants will ride back to Mamallapuram on Sunday afternoon for the closing ceremony.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Petlee Peter / February 01st, 2015
V. Chandrasekar, a key member of the Forum, is assisted by his wife Vijayalakshmi in sorting out the books meant for distribution. Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam / The Hindu
In a role reversal, a few seniors in Besant Nagar are caring for youngsters.
We tend to picture senior citizens as helpless and leaning heavily on others. And therefore, we are surprised when we see them serve people considerably younger than themselves.
And I should admit I was more than surprised to discover such a group of seniors in Besant Nagar.
Senior Citizens Group of Besant Nagar, founded in 2012, collects and distributes books to college students. Chandrasekhar, honorary president of the forum, says, “We sent a press release about our initiative to neighbourhood tabloids and made a few calls — that’s all it took to get started. Many came forward to donate their books. Many students from families with low incomes came to receive these free books.”
Around 2,000 books on various subjects were collected in a week. Each student was allowed to take a single book.
Similarly, during the last monsoon, we collected and distributed blankets to pavement dwellers in Besant Nagar. “It is not possible to go far away and distribute the blankets. So we restricted ourselves to Besant Nagar. Seven young volunteers helped us in the distribution of blankets, ,” says Chandrasekhar
“Most of the forum members are pensioners and we set aside a part of our pension for this work,” says Chandrasekhar.
This Forum for seniors encourages similar initiatives in other neighbourhoods. Chandrasekhar says, “Someone from Tambaram called to say he wanted to donate the books of his children. I asked him to distribute the books to deserving students in Tambaram. The idea is to serve the poor wherever they are found. Our forum is not registered and does not have a bank account. We accept assistance only in kind.”
The Forum’s next plan is to collect and distribute walking sticks.
“It also has plans to offer training in spoken English, group discussion and attending interviews for students from economically weak sections. Also, career counselling sessions will be organised,” he adds.
The sessions will be conducted by V. Chandrasekhar, an MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur and a retired professor from Anna University and his wife C. Vijayalakshmi, an English teacher. V. Chandrasekhar is now a visiting professor at Anna University.
Those keen on assisting the forum may call V. Chandrasekhar at 9884224480 or write to profvc@gmail.com
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Downtown / by L. Kanthimathi / Chennai – January 31st, 2015
He was a man of many accomplishments: a university rank-holder, ICS aspirant, film actor, music teacher, performer and composer. However, the mystic in Veeravanallur Vedantam Sadagopan, better known as V.V. Sadagopan, chose to give up all quests and simply vanished into the night. His birth centenary falls on January 29.
“He got off the train at Gudur [in Andhra Pradesh] on April 11, 1980, on his way from Delhi to Chennai. Afterwards there was no information about his whereabouts. His family still believes that he lives somewhere,” said T.K. Venkatasubramanaian, retired Professor of History of the Delhi University, who had also accompanied V.V. Sadagopan on the mridangam .
Born in Veeravanallur, a small town in Tirunelveli district, on January 29, 1915, Sadagopan, son of an insurance agent, Vedantam Iyengar, stood first in English, Maths and Sanskrit in 1934 and came to Chennai to prepare for the ICS examinations. Instead his association with Tamil writer Va. Ramasamy alias Vaara, first landed him in the world of journalism and later films. He has written for Ananda Vikatan .
“He was a star, handsome and charismatic. He was a graduate and an acclaimed Carnatic musician. When I learnt that the producers of the new film were planning to have him as the hero, I knew that I stood no chance of being considered for the role,” wrote MGR about V.V. Sadagopan, and the words of the former actor-turned-Chief Minister speak volumes for his talent and personality.
After acting in a few films including Navayuvan , Athisayam and Madanakamarajan , he returned to the concert platform.
When Soundaram Ramachandaran, a Minister in Jawaharlal Nehru’s Cabinet, launched the Gandhigram Rural Institute (GRI), she appointed Sadagopan as the director of Music Studies.
“When Nehru visited the institution in 1959, he got a chance to watch the Kuravanji dance-drama of Sadagopan. So impressed was Nehru with Sadagopan’s talents that he appointed him as Professor of Music in Delhi University. He continued in the job till 1975,” said Mr. Venkatasubramanian, whose father T.V. Kuppusamy was also a student of Sadagopan.
He delved deep into Vaishnavite literature and had given full-fledged concerts comprising verses from the Kambaramayanam .
Teaching music to children was a subject close to his heart and he launched the Tyaga Bharathi, a movement to carry out his mission.
“An ardent devotee of Thyagaraja’s music and admirer of Subramania Bharati’s ideas, he combined both to teach values to children. We used to visit schools and would sing and dance with children. They are not nursery rhymes, but penned and tuned to Carnatic music with the objective of moulding children,” said Devika Raman, daughter of Sadagopan.
While his family released two CDs of the songs of Tyaga Bharathi , his student Srirama Bharathi built a temple at Jalladaiampet on the outskirts of Chennai and propagated his ideas through music.
The tradition still continues.
Admired by MGR and Nehru, V.V. Sadagopan loved to impart values through music to children
source:http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai /by B. Kolappan / Chennai – January 29th, 2015
