Cleveland Sundaram presents Lifetime Achievement Award to TK Padmanaban at the Marghazhi Matram program in Chennai on Friday. | Photo Credit: B. VELANKANNI RAJ
Violinists TK Padmanabhan, Gayatri Shankaran and mridangam exponent Erode Nagaraj were honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for promoting inclusivity in the performing arts at the inauguration of the third edition of Margazhi Matram in Chennai on Friday.
In celebration of World Disability Day, SciArtsRUs, USA organized Margazhi Matram, an annual music festival for performers with various disabilities. More than 260 people will participate in the eight-day festival, including 65 people with disabilities, people from the LGBTQ community, folk and intercultural performers.
Cleveland Sundaram presents the Lifetime Achievement Award to mridangam exponent Erode Nagaraj at the Marghazhi Matram program in Chennai on Friday. | Photo Credit: B. VELANKANNI RAJ
Cleveland Sundaram, an art promoter, said that Erode Nagaraj was one of the best students of maestro Umayalapuram Sivaraman. “So be it pallavi, patham, javali or keerthanai, he knows how to properly perform according to each song. TK Padmanabhan has learned from great musicians and his performances are very deep. Gayatri Shankaran, a disciple of Lalgudi Jayaraman, is an excellent performer and has a vast knowledge of music.”
Erode Nagaraj said that such recognition has greatly encouraged the artists and motivated them to a great extent.
Bharatanatyam representative Roja Kannan said that during the pandemic, several artists have faced anxious moments as they ponder the uncertainty and wonder when they will perform next. “Imagine the difficult times differently-abled people would face during those two years. But they all battled through this difficult phase with sheer determination and perseverance and excelled in the arts,” she said.
Gayatri Shankaran received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Ranjani Kaushik, founder of SciArtsRUs, who organized the Marghazhi Matram program, in Chennai on Friday. | Photo Credit: B. VELANKANNI RAJ
Keyboardist Aditya Venkatesh received the Rising Star Award. Vasantha Ramachandran Memorial Scholarships were awarded to Jyothikalai and Priyavadhana.
Ranjini Kaushik , SciArtsRUs founder, violinist M Chandrasekaran, journalist and playwright Gowri Ramnarayan and para-athlete, social innovator and inclusion advocate Justin Vijay Jesudas spoke during the event.