Dr.R.Ganesh



LINEAGE:

Dr.R.Ganesh belongs to the lineage of Great Composers - Sri Kavikunjara Bharathi and Shri Koteeswara Iyer, the later being one of the few Composers to have composed krithis in all the 72 Melakartha Ragas.


DATE OF BIRTH :- 24th May 1968.

PLACE OF BIRTH :- Mettur, Salem

PARENTS : Shri.M.Radhakrishnan & Smt.R.Vasantha


TRAINING IN CARNATIC MUSIC:

Ganesh started his training in vocal carnatic music at the age of 10 from Shri.P.Mahalinga Iyer at Thanjavur. Then, he learnt from Vidwan.Thirukkarugavoor Shri.G.Srinivasaraghavan. Later, he had advanced training through the traditional "Gurukulavasa" system from the Great Maestro Padmashri Sangita Kalanidhi Maharajapuram Shri.Santhanam for six years. Presently, he is continuing his training under Vidwan Shri.O.S.Thiagarajan.

He also learnt Veena for a short period from Vainika Vidwamsini Smt.Ranganayaki Rajagopalan of the Great Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer School for few years.


AS A PERFORMER:

Ganesh had the good fortune to accompany his Guru Shri. Maharajapuram Santhanam as Vocal Support in most of his concerts in India from August 1987 till June 1992 including the one at Swami Dayananda Matriculation School, Manjakkudy on 23rd June 1992 which happened to be the last concert of the Great Maestro.

After 1992, he has been giving individual music concerts throughout India. He has been performing in leading music institutions in India and abroad.

He had the golden opportunity to perform in the divine presence of Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba at Prashanthi Nilayam, Puttaparthi on the eve of his 70th birthday celebrations in November 1995.

He is a regular performer and an artiste with grade ‘A’ in All India Radio and Doordarshan.












VETERANS WHO HAVE ACCOMPANIED GANESH:

He has been performing with eminent accompanists like Dr T.K.Murthy, Shri Umayalpuram Sivaraman, Vellore Shri Ramabhadran, Srimushnam Shri Raja Rao, Thiruvaroor Shri Bhakthavatsalam, Shri V.Thiagarajan, Nagai Shri Muralidharan, Smt T.Rukmini, Shri Sikkil Baskaran , Shri T.H.Vinayakaram, Shri G.Harishankar etc.

SPECIAL CONCERTS:

A) Ganesh has given classical music concert with orchestration - an experimental one in June 1995 at Narada Gana Sabha which was widely appreciated.

B) He has given exclusive concerts based on themes - kritis of a particular composer, kritis of pre-trinity composers, Navavarana Kritis of Oothukkadu Venkatasubbayyar on Goddess Kanchi Kamakshi, etc.

C) In July 2002, for the International Conference of Siva Bhakthas held at Seerani Arangam, Chennai he gave a novel programme titled "SIVA HAARAM" wherein he rendered "OM NAMASIVAYA" in 108 ragas.

D) IRAI ISAI PAYANAM:

Irai Isai Payanam is an innovative method which is very similar to the Unchavrithi followed in earlier days. In this the artistes do not receive any remuneration and the entire proceeds of the concert go for noble causes like renovation of old temples.Ganesh has been giving residential concerts for raising funds for renovation of temples which are uncared for. Titled “Irai Isai Payanam”, he along with accompaniments collected nearly Rs.17.50 lacs out of 51 concerts for renovation of Arulmigu Pushpakuchambikai samedha Shri Shringeeswarar Temple situated at Meppedu which is nearly 25 km away from Poonamallee, Chennai and the kumbabishekam was conducted for this temple on 14th July 2008. Ganesh continues to do this and proposed to do this for many more temples which are uncared for.

CASSETTES RELEASED:

He has released 8 single audio cassettes from leading Companies like The Gramaphone Company of India, INRECO, KEERTHANA, CHARANGI and a double cassette album from AVM.

Another recording of Ganesh where the compositions of Smt.Lakshmi Natrajan have been rendered has been released in August 2002 and the sale proceeds went for the Rajagopura Thiruppani of Arulmigu Kamakshi Sametha Ekambareswarar Temple at Nanmangalam, near Chennai.

An exclusive recording has been made comprising of songs on Shri Raghavendra Swamigal rendered by him for the website gururaghavendra.org.

His album titled “The Maharajapuram Legacy” released by Jass Vision is a hot seller in the market. Ganesh’s album title “Dayathoro Deva” consisting devotional songs on Guru Raghavendra Swami was released on the auspicious occasion at Mantralayam on 14th March 2008 on the birthday of the Saint. This is a release from Vani Recording Company.

AWARDS & TITLES WON:

He was awarded "The Maharajapuram Memorial Prize" in 1993 and "G.R.Chari Memorial Prize" for Best Rendering of Ragam Tanam Pallavi by Shri Krishna Gana Sabha for his performances during their Gokulashtami Music Festivals for the years 1993 and 1995 respectively.














He was awarded "Shri Nataraja Iyer Memorial Award" for the "Best Young Male Vocalist" by The Music Academy for his performance during their Music Festival in 1998. This was awarded on 1st January 1999 by Bharatha Rathna Shri.C.Subramaniam. He was awarded "The Best Vocalist Award in Sub-Senior Category" by The Indian Fine Arts Society for his performance in December 2000. He was awarded Smt.Pankajam Rajam Award for Best Vocalist in Sub-Senior Category by the Music Academy for his performance in the Academy on 20th Dec 2005.


He was awarded the title "Sangitha Chinthamani" by His Holiness Sri Ayyappa Swamigal of Thiruverkadu in April 1998.

He was awarded the title "Yuva Kala Bharathi" by The Bharath Kalachar for the year 1998.

Title "Gnana Sangeetha Mani" was conferred by Guhashri Swamigal Satsangam, Chennai on 13th March 2003.

Title “Isai Arasar” was conferred on him by Sri Pamban Swamigal Trust, Chennai in 2002.

He was awarded the Youth Excellence award for Vocalist by Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer Trust in November 2003.

He was made “Asthana Vidwan” of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam by His Holiness Shri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal on 1st October 2006 at the function held at Shri Kamakshi Temple, Kanchipuram.

Shri Veda Vyasa Tapovanam, Chennai conferred on him the title “Sri Veda Vyasa Kala Seva Ratna” and the honour of Asthana Vidwan on 3rd October 2006 by Guruji Shri Kashi Viswanathar.

Chennaionline.com – the famous web portal awarded the title “Chennaionline - Isai Vendar” on him on 10th December 2006 and this was conferred on him by Hon’ble Union Minister Shri G.K.Vasan at Chennai.

The coveted title “Isai Peroli” was conferred on him by Kartik Fine Arts, Chennai at the inauguration of their 33rd Art Festival on 1st December 2007 by Paramapujyasri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamigal at Sathguru Gnanananda Hall, Chennai.

Sri Raghavendra Swami Mutt, Mantralaya conferred the distinguished “Vijaya Vitthala Prashasti” award on Dr.R.Ganesh for his achievement in music and Guruseva on 20th November 2008 during the aradhana celebrations of Sri Raghunandana Thirtha at Hampi. The award was given to him by the Golden hands of the Peetadipathis of Sri Raghavendra Swami Mutt and the Pejavara Mutt, Udupi.

OVERSEAS CONCERTS:

He has performed concerts in countries like Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai & Sri Lanka.

HOMAGE TO THE GREAT GURU:

As a homage to his revered Guru, he started an organisation by name Rasikas of Shri.Maharajapuram Santhanam in June 1993 and converted it into a Trust in the year 1998.

Ganesh appealed to the Government of Tamil Nadu in October 1992 to rename the Griffith Road, T.Nagar, and Chennai - 17 in memory of his Guru as "Shri Maharajapuram Santhanam Road". He chose this road for renaming because Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, for which Shri.Maharajapuram Santhanam was the founder Secretary is situated in this Road. Acceding to his request, The Worshipful Mayor of Chennai Mr.M.K.Stalin renamed this road as "Maharajapuram Santhanam Road" at a grand function held at Sri Krishna Gana Sabha on 23rd June 1998 in the presence of Semmangudi Sri Srinivasa Iyer, Vidwan Lalgudi Sri.Jayaraman etc.







Through the Trust, he has been conducting a concert series in memory of his Great Guru with the concluding concert on 23rd June - the day his Guru gave his last concert. The objectives of the Trust are below:

a. To promote classical carnatic music among youngsters all over India and also abroad. To teach youngsters classical carnatic music especially the Maharajapuram Tradition.

b. To build an auditorium in the name of Shri Maharajapuram Santhanam for music performances and promotion of other fine arts.

c. To set up an audio/video library of collections of great artistes for rasikas and artistes to listen to great performances.

d. To conduct concert series / cultural programmes every month or quarter or half year or year . To hold programmes on 23rd June - the day on which Shri Maharajapuram Santhanam gave his last concert.

e. To give scholarships to deserving students in carnatic vocal and instrumental music. Also to encourage talents in other areas like education, sports and other arts.

f. Providing financial assistance to artistes who are in poor economic status.

g. To set up centres at major cities of the country to teach classical music in the Maharajapuram Tradition.

h. To institute awards for outstanding musicians - both young and old.

i. To offer free medical assistance to musicians in poor economic status through health insurance schemes where the organisation will be remitting the premium on behalf of the artistes.

ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE TRUST:

The Trust has been holding concert series every year at Chennai and also at places outside Chennai to make Classical Music available for listening to rasikas living in remote areas/towns. The Trust is supporting sabhas which are functioning in remote areas where carnatic music is scarcely available. The Trust sponsors and sends artistes from Chennai to these Sabhas to perform.

The Trust is the pioneer in bringing out “Musician’s Diary” in 1999 – a complete handbook with addresses of classical musicians in classified format and also provision for artistes to note down their concert particulars – like accompaniments, items rendered, remuneration etc daily. This is being emulated by various other organizations now.

The Trust conducted a benefit concert featuring Shri Lalgudi Jayaraman in February 1998 and collected Rs.5.32 lakhs for the benefit of the victims of the Gujarat Earthquake and handed over the same to Shri Venkaiah Naidu, who was the Union Minister for Rural Development.

The Trust has been distributing free mediclaim policies and financial assistance to Vidwans in poor economic status. The Trust has also helped the families of Vidwans who had untimely demise.

NADAHARA SAMARPANA:

On 17th March 2005, the Trust conducted a unique musical offering to Shri Raghavendra Swamigal at Mantralayam wherein more than 108 musicians – vocal, violin, veena, mridangam, ghatam etc participated in the event. Clad in uniform attire the musicians simultaneously rendered the Pancharathna Kritis of Saint Thiagaraja sitting around the Moolabrindavana of Shri Raghavendra Swamigal and also conducted a namasankeerthana procession. This has become an annual event in Mantralayam and every year the Trust conducts Naadahara samarpana on the birth day of the Great Saint.









DIVINE RESPONSIBILITIES:

Ganesh was appointed in February 1998 as the Honorary Veterinary Consultant for the Gho Sala of Kanchi Mutt at Enathur, Kanchipuram by His Holiness Sri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal of Kanchi Mutt and since then he is doing voluntary service there.

Ganesh is actively involved in renovation of Temples which are uncared for.

EDUCATION :

Ganesh is holding a professional degree in Veterinary Medicine and is being supported by the presitgious Viswapriya Group.

ADDRESS FOR COMMUNICATION:

“BRINDAVAN”
436/1, Dr.RAMASWAMY ROAD,
K K NAGAR,
CHENNAI 600 078.

Phone (Res) : 23663340 ; (Off): 24417711 / 24414702
Mobile No. 98407-97307 / 92833 - 95434
E-mail: doctorganesh@hotmail.com
doctorganesh@rediffmail.com