E. Gayathri

Echampati Gayathri
Background information
Origin	Andhra Pradesh, India
Genres	indian classical music, film music
Occupation(s)	Veena player
Instruments	veena

Echampati Gayathri (née Gayathri Vasantha Shoba), popularly known as "Veena Gayathri"(born November 9, 1959) is a veena exponent of the traditional Carnatic music. She was appointed by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J.Jayalalithaa, as the first Vice Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Music and Fine Arts University in November, 2013.

E.Gayathri received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2002, the "Kalaimamani" award from Dr. M. G. R. on behalf of the Government of Tamil Nadu in 1984 and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rotary Club, Madras East in 2011. The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J. Jayalalithaa, appointed E. Gayathri as Honorary Director of Tamil Nadu Government Music Colleges in Chennai, Thiruvaiyaru, Madurai and Coimbatore in 2011.

E. Gayathri was born on 9 November 1959 to Kamala Aswathama, a veena vidushi, and to G. Aswathama, a film music director in the Telugu film industry. Her father named her Gayathri Vasantha Shoba. Gayathri first trained under her parents and later under Sangita Kalanidhi T. M. Thyagarajan, a Carnatic vocalist and composer.

Gayathri began her career at the age of 9 when Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha, Triplicane invited her to perform in their Saint Thyagaraja Festival in 1968. Gayathri went on to receive awards and titles from organisations in India and abroad. Gayathri has released many albums. She was appointed as Honorary Director of Tamil Nadu Government Music Colleges (in Chennai, Thiruvaiyaru, Madurai and Coimbatore) by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J. Jayalalithaa, in 2011.

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