Chingleput Ranganathan
Encyclopedia
Chingleput Ranganathan was an outstanding classical Carnatic
vocalist and a much sought after Guru.
. He thus entered the tutelage of Venkatesa Iyer of the Manambuchavadi lineage of Thyagaraja shishya parampara. He proceeded to undergo rigorous training with Alathur Brothers
, Alathur Sivasubramania Iyer and Alathur Srinivasa Iyer under Gurukula System for ten years. His Arangetram was held in the Nerur Sadasiva Bramendral Utsavam in the year 1955. Vidwan Ramanathapuram M.N.Kandaswamy accompanied him on the Mridangam while his guru Alathur Venkatesa Iyer
himself accompanied him on the harmonium
on the occasion.
. He was an ‘A’ Grade Artist from the All India Radio
and served for 20 years as a staff artist in the All India Radio (A.I.R., Chennai). As a staff artiste at the AIR, he conducted various programmes donning roles such as composer, conductor of orchestras, organiser etc. He served as the Asthana Vidwan of the Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt, Kanchipuram
for more than twenty years. He was the Principal of the Teacher’s College of Music, The Music Academy, Chennai for over five years. Later he was a member of the faculty at its school of advanced learning in Carnatic music. He passed away on the 12th of July, 2011.
He was awarded the prestigious Sangita Nataka Akademi Award by our honourable President Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam at the Akademi Puraskar Awards 2006, held in March 2007 and also honoured at the St. Thiagaraja Utsavam, with the title, “Sangeetha Kala Sagaram” at Cleveland, USA- April 2007.
- “NADAKKANAL” in the year 1992 at the Bharathiyar Festival held in Chennai.
- “GAYAKA KALANIDHI” in the year 1999 by Srirangam Srimad Andavan Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desigan.
- “THIRUPPUGAZH MAMANI” in August 1999 by Vadapalani Thiruppugazh Sabha, Chennai.
- “SANGEETHA KALA ACHARYA” in January 2000 by The Music Academy, Chennai.
- “KALA RATNA” by Rasika Ranjani Sabha, Chennai, December 2002.
- “SANGEETH SAMRAT” in Nov 2003 by His Holiness Sri Viswesha Theertha Swamiji of Sri Pejawar Mutt, Udupi for Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan & Sangeetha Parishath, Mangalore.
- “CARNATIC MUSIC PALLAVI WIZARD” in April 2005 by Rajah Annamalaipuram Bhakta Jana Sabha.
- “SWARA RAGA SARAGNAR” in 2005 at the Panchamukha Anjaneyar Utsavam, Mylapore.
- “LAYA KALA NIPUNA” by Percussive Arts Centre, Palghat Mani Iyer Memorial Trust, Bangalore on May 29, 2006.
- “SANGEETHA KALA SAGARAM” by Bhargavi Fine Arts, Cleveland in April 2007 at the St. Thiagaraja Utsavam, Cleveland, USA.
- “SANGITA NATAKA AKADEMI AWARD”-MARCH 2007 AT SANGITA NATAKA AKADEMI DELHI. Received from the hands of our honourable president Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
vocalist and a much sought after Guru.
Early life and background
Chingleput C. Ranganathan, was born in Chennai on 3 June 1938 to Sriman Chellappa Iyengar and Srimathi Lakshmi Ammal. His mother used to be a student of Harihara Iyer, a disciple of the Carnatic music great, Tiger Varadachariar. Ranganathan used to regularly accompany his mother to her music lessons. He then became a disciple of Flute Vidwan H.Ramachandra Sastri. It was Shastri who felt that he had the potential to train under the stalwart, Alathur Venkatesa IyerAlathur Venkatesa Iyer
Alathur Venkatesa Iyer was a teacher of Carnatic music. Venkatesa Iyer practised Carnatic music in the style of the composer Tyagaraja. Venkatesa Iyer later developed a unique style that is known as the "Alathur style" of rendering kritis...
. He thus entered the tutelage of Venkatesa Iyer of the Manambuchavadi lineage of Thyagaraja shishya parampara. He proceeded to undergo rigorous training with Alathur Brothers
Alathur Brothers
Alathur Brothers Srinivasa Iyer & Sivasubramania Iyer were Carnatic vocalists. The world of Carnatic music knows them as the star duo of the twentieth century....
, Alathur Sivasubramania Iyer and Alathur Srinivasa Iyer under Gurukula System for ten years. His Arangetram was held in the Nerur Sadasiva Bramendral Utsavam in the year 1955. Vidwan Ramanathapuram M.N.Kandaswamy accompanied him on the Mridangam while his guru Alathur Venkatesa Iyer
Alathur Venkatesa Iyer
Alathur Venkatesa Iyer was a teacher of Carnatic music. Venkatesa Iyer practised Carnatic music in the style of the composer Tyagaraja. Venkatesa Iyer later developed a unique style that is known as the "Alathur style" of rendering kritis...
himself accompanied him on the harmonium
Harmonium
A harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
on the occasion.
Career
At the age of seventeen, Ranganathan secured the first place in the Music Competition held in October 1955, conducted by the All India Radio. He obtained the prize from the First President of India, Dr.Rajendra PrasadRajendra Prasad
Dr. Rajendra Prasad was an Indian politician and educator. He was one of the architects of the Indian Republic, having drafted its first constitution and serving as the first president of independent India...
. He was an ‘A’ Grade Artist from the All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
and served for 20 years as a staff artist in the All India Radio (A.I.R., Chennai). As a staff artiste at the AIR, he conducted various programmes donning roles such as composer, conductor of orchestras, organiser etc. He served as the Asthana Vidwan of the Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt, Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram, or Kanchi, is a temple city and a municipality in Kanchipuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a temple town and the headquarters of Kanchipuram district...
for more than twenty years. He was the Principal of the Teacher’s College of Music, The Music Academy, Chennai for over five years. Later he was a member of the faculty at its school of advanced learning in Carnatic music. He passed away on the 12th of July, 2011.
Achievements
Acclaimed Vidwan that he was, he had specialised in intricate pallavis ranging from the grand and famous to the obscure and elusive. He set to tune, thiruppugazh in the 72 melakartha ragas. His streak as a vaggeyakarar has shone through in his thillanas set to all the 35 suladhisaptha thalas. He was the torch-bearer of the Alathur Bani known for not only its laya oriented singing but the Sangeetha and Ragha Bhava – force of life enthused to the compositions of various composers.He was awarded the prestigious Sangita Nataka Akademi Award by our honourable President Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam at the Akademi Puraskar Awards 2006, held in March 2007 and also honoured at the St. Thiagaraja Utsavam, with the title, “Sangeetha Kala Sagaram” at Cleveland, USA- April 2007.
Awards and honourary titles
- “SANGEETHA ACHARYA” in the year 1991 by Guruji H.H.Swamy Haridoss Giri Swamigal.- “NADAKKANAL” in the year 1992 at the Bharathiyar Festival held in Chennai.
- “GAYAKA KALANIDHI” in the year 1999 by Srirangam Srimad Andavan Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desigan.
- “THIRUPPUGAZH MAMANI” in August 1999 by Vadapalani Thiruppugazh Sabha, Chennai.
- “SANGEETHA KALA ACHARYA” in January 2000 by The Music Academy, Chennai.
- “KALA RATNA” by Rasika Ranjani Sabha, Chennai, December 2002.
- “SANGEETH SAMRAT” in Nov 2003 by His Holiness Sri Viswesha Theertha Swamiji of Sri Pejawar Mutt, Udupi for Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan & Sangeetha Parishath, Mangalore.
- “CARNATIC MUSIC PALLAVI WIZARD” in April 2005 by Rajah Annamalaipuram Bhakta Jana Sabha.
- “SWARA RAGA SARAGNAR” in 2005 at the Panchamukha Anjaneyar Utsavam, Mylapore.
- “LAYA KALA NIPUNA” by Percussive Arts Centre, Palghat Mani Iyer Memorial Trust, Bangalore on May 29, 2006.
- “SANGEETHA KALA SAGARAM” by Bhargavi Fine Arts, Cleveland in April 2007 at the St. Thiagaraja Utsavam, Cleveland, USA.
- “SANGITA NATAKA AKADEMI AWARD”-MARCH 2007 AT SANGITA NATAKA AKADEMI DELHI. Received from the hands of our honourable president Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.