M. L. Vasanthakumari
| Madras Lalithangi Vasanthakumari | |
|---|---|
MLV in late 1940s
|
|
| Background information | |
| Native name | மெட்ராஸ் லலிதாங்கி வசந்தகுமாரி |
| Born | 3 July 1928 |
| Origin | Madras, Madras Presidency, British India |
| Died | 31 October 1990 (aged 62) Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Genres | Carnatic music – Indian Classical Music and Playback singing |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1942–1990 |
| Labels | HMV, EMI, RPG, AVM Audio, Inreco, Vani, Amutham Inc, Doordarshan, Super Audio, Geethanjali, Kosmic Music, Charsur Digital Workshop etc. |
Madras Lalitangi Vasanthakumari (Tamil: மெட்ராஸ் லலிதாங்கி வசந்தகுமாரி) (popularly referred to as MLV) (3 July 1928 – 31 October 1990) was a Carnatic musician and playback singer for film songs in many Indian languages. MLV and her contemporaries D. K. Pattammal and M. S. Subbulakshmi were popularly referred to as the "female trinity of Carnatic Music. A prime disciple of the G. N. Balasubramaniam, she was the youngest among the established musicians of that era, and was the youngest female awardee of the Sangita Kalanidhi award.
As well as being a much sought-after playback singer for films, MLV popularised unfamiliar ragas and her Ragam Thanam Pallavis were considered cerebral. Additionally, she popularised the compositions of the Haridasas. Her most famous disciples include Srividya (her daughter), Sudha Raghunathan, A. Kanyakumari, Yogam Santhanam, V. Kaveri, Charumathi Ramachandran and Meena Subramanian.
MLV was born to a musical family. Her father, Kuthanur Ayya Swamy Iyer, was a noted musician while her mother, Lalithangi, was also a great musician. When Deshbandu Chitharanjan Das (1870–1925) died in 1925, Lalithangi came out with a beautiful song by way of tribute to his national spirit and patriotism. A rare gramophone record (made in England) of her glorious voice rendering this song is said to be in V.Sundaram's private possession.
MLV's school education was in Madras, in a convent, where all was set to pursue a medical career until the great Carnatic musician G. N. Balasubramaniam came into her life. He became her guru. In her own words: My parents had rendered yeomen service to Carnatic music. They were mainly instrumental in popularising the compositions of Purandara Dasa in South India. They were not keen that I should enter the music field and gave me general education. But in the musical atmosphere of my house, I had ample opportunity of practising vocal music. Once G N Balasubramaniam heard me sing and he prevailed upon my parents to place me under his tutelage. It was he who was responsible for the status I occupy in the music world today.
...
Wikipedia