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]