The following is a list of prominent Carnatic music

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...

ians.

Past Vocalists

The 1930s to the 1960s are considered the Golden era of Carnatic music. D. K. Pattammal

D. K. Pattammal

Damal Krishnaswamy Pattammal was a prominent Carnatic musician and a playback singer for film songs in many Indian languages. She along with her contemporaries M. S. Subbulakshmi and M. L. Vasanthakumari were popularly referred to as the Female trinity of Carnatic Music...

, M. L. Vasanthakumari

M. L. Vasanthakumari

Madras Lalitangi Vasanthakumari , 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...

 and M. S. Subbulakshmi

M. S. Subbulakshmi

Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi , also known as M.S., was a renowned Carnatic vocalist. She was the first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor. She is the first Indian musician to receive...

, commonly referred to as the female trinity of Carnatic music, rose to fame during this era. Other female singers that followed included N. C. Vasanthakokilam, T.Brinda, T.Mukta, as well as Radha and Jayalakshmi

Radha Jayalakshmi

Radha and Jayalakshmi popularly known as Radha Jayalakshmi , were Indian Carnatic music vocalist duo as well as playback singers in films in 1940s and 1950s, before they became music teachers. The person who does the playback singing is Jayalakshmi but was named as Radha Jayalakshmi in the cine field...

. The leading male vocalists during this era were Muthiah Bhagavathar, Mysore Vasudevachar, Kanchipuram Nayana Pillai, Kanchipuram N.S.Krishnaswamy Iyengar, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar

Chembai

Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar was a Carnatic music singer from Palakkad . Known by his village name Chembai, or simply as Bhagavatar, he was born to Anantha Bhagavatar and Parvati Ammal in 1896, at Kottayi near Palakkad on Janmashtami day, with Bharani star in the month of Chingam...

, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar

Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar

Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar or more popularly simply called as Ariyakudi was born in Ariyakudi a town in the Karaikudi district of Tamil Nadu, South India in the year 1890. Ariyakudi was a Carnatic Music vocalist and is known for his unique style. He made his debut at Tyagaraja Aradhana in 1918...

, Musiri Subramania Iyer

Musiri Subramania Iyer

Musiri Subramania Iyer was a Carnatic vocalist who's stage performing career spanned the 1920s to the 1940s. After retirement from the stage, he remained an iconic figure in Carnatic music as a dedicated teacher and leader in the Carnatic community...

, Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer

Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer

Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer was one of the great Indian Carnatic vocalists. He won several awards including Sangeetha Kalanidhi and Sangeetha Bhupathy.-Early life and background:Viswanatha Iyer was born in Chennai to Rama Iyer, a singer....

, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer

Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer

Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer is considered to be one of the greatest Carnatic vocalists of the twentieth century...

, 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....

, G. N. Balasubramaniam

G. N. Balasubramaniam

G. N. Balasubramaniam , popularly known as GNB, was a legendary vocalist in the Carnatic tradition. He became the first superstar of Carnatic music, innovating the art through emphasis on laya control & reducing the gamakas which eventually made Carnatic music appeal to the lay and the learned...

, Parashurama Bhagavathar and Madurai Mani Iyer

Madurai Mani Iyer

Madurai Mani Iyer was a Carnatic music singer, who was famous for his unique style. He was one of the most highly celebrated carnatic vocalists during the first half of the 20th century. He was renowned for his adept skills at singing kalpana swarams, neraval, and raga alapana...

. The other popular prominent performers during this era were 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...

, Ramnad Krishnan

Ramnad Krishnan

Ramnad Krishnan was a vocalist in the Carnatic tradition. He did his schooling in Ramnad in Madras Presidency.He learned music from Ramnad C S Sankarasivam. He served on the faculty of Government College of Carnatic Music in Madras.He was also a visiting Professor at Wesleyan University...

, M. D. Ramanathan

M. D. Ramanathan

Manjapara Devesa Ramanathan affectionately called MDR was a Carnatic music composer and vocalist.-Early life:...

, S.Ramanathan, Prof. Mysore Sri V. Ramarathnam

V. Ramarathnam

V. Ramarathnam was a Carnatic musician, author, teacher and composer. Ramarthnam, the vocalist disciple of Sangeetha Rathna Mysore T. Chowdiah. He was the first Principal of the University College of Music and Dance, University of Mysore since its inception in 1965, a position which he held till...

, K. V. Narayanaswamy

Palghat Kollengode Viswanatha Narayanaswamy

Palghat Kollengode Viswanatha Narayanaswamy , often referred to as KVN, was an Indian musician, widely considered to be among the finest Carnatic music vocalists of the 20th century. He was described as the "Gentle Perfect Knight" of Carnatic music, a phrase from Geoffrey Chaucer, by V. K...

, Sirkazhi Govindarajan

Sirkazhi Govindarajan

Sirkazhi Govindarajan was a leading vocalist in Carnatic Music.Govindarajan, born in Sirkali in Madras Presidency) and started performing at the age of eight in Tirupurasundari Temple. His son Sirkazhi G. Sivachidambaram is also a Carnatic singer....

, Maharajapuram Santhanam

Maharajapuram Santhanam

Sangeetha Kalanidhi Maharajapuram Santhanam , was one of the great Carnatic music vocalists of the 20th century. He was born in Sirunangur, a village in the state of Tamil Nadu. He followed the footsteps of his father Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer who was also a Carnatic singer.- Profile :Besides...

, Tanjore S. Kalyanaraman, D. K. Jayaraman

D. K. Jayaraman

D. K. Jayaraman , the renowned brother of D. K. Pattammal, was a Carnatic music singer.After learning music from his sister, he furthered his musical skills under many known masters in the field, including Muthiah Bhagavathar and Papanasam Sivan. Like his sister, Jayaraman was known for his moving...

, T. K. Rangachari, Vairamangalam Lakshminarayanan, P. S. Narayanaswamy

P. S. Narayanaswamy

Puliyur Subramaniam Narayanaswamy also spelt Narayanaswami is a Carnatic music vocalist. He learnt music from Tiruppambaram Somasundaram Pillai, T. M. Tyagarajan and later from Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. He awarded the Bala Gana Kala Rathnam at the age of 12...

, Madurai Somu

S. Somasundaram

Madurai S. Somasundaram was a Carnatic music vocalist. He was popularly called Madurai Somu. He learnt music from Sesha Bhagavatar, Abhirama Sastri and Chittoor Subramanyam Pillai. He started his career by giving a concert in Tiruchendur in 1934.He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of...

, Jon. B. Higgins, Neyyattinkara Vasudevan

Neyyattinkara Vasudevan

Neyyattinkara Vasudevan was an acclaimed Carnatic music vocalist from Kerala in south India. The Padmasree-winning Carnatic vocalist and disciple of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and Ramnad Krishnan, he combined tradition and innovation in his widely acclaimed career.- Biography :Vasudevan born in a...

, among others.

Past/Present Vocalists

Some of the most famous and accomplished senior vocalists today include Dr M Balamuralikrishna, Nedanuri Krishnamoorthy, T. N. Seshagopalan, R. Vedavalli, T. V. Sankaranarayanan

T V Sankaranarayanan

T. V. Sankaranarayanan is an eminent and popular Carnatic vocalist , known for his vibrant music that essentially stems from the style of his late uncle-guru, Madurai Mani Iyer.Padma Bhushan Sankaranarayanan, a winner of the Sangeetha Kalanidhi award instituted by the Madras Music...

, Neyveli Santhanagopalan

Neyveli Santhanagopalan

Neyveli Santhana Gopalan is a noted, respected Indian Carnatic vocalist. He has distinguished himself with numerous concerts worldwide, and is the recipient of many awards from music associations in India and overseas. He is known for his traditional and purist styles of rendering ragas, musical...

,Dr.T.M.Sounderarajan,
R K Srikanthan

R K Srikanthan

Rudrapatna Krishnashastri Srikantan is a vocalist of the Karnataka Sangeeta tradition of South Indian music.- Family background and early life :...

, K. J. Yesudas, S.R.Janakiraman, T R Subramaniam, Nookala Chinna Satyanarayana

Nookala Chinna Satyanarayana

Mahamahopadhyaya Dr. Nookala Chinna Satyanarayana is a Carnatic musician, a classical vocalist, musicologist, author and teacher, a great administrator and motivator. He is a performer on All India Radio and Doordarshan who has participated in Sangeeta Sammelans, outdoor broadcasts and national...

, Bombay Sisters

Bombay Sisters

-Early life:Bombay Sisters were born in Bombay. They have been trained by H. A. S. Mani, Musiri Subramania Iyer and T. K. Govinda Rao.-Career:Part of the trend of duo singing in Carnatic music, which started in the 1950s, with performers like Radha Jayalakshmi, and Soolamangalam Sisters, they have...

, P.S. Narayanaswamy, O S Thyagarajan, M.S Sheela, Suguna Purushothaman, Suguna Varadachari, Parassala B Ponnammal and others.

Current Vocalists

Popular current vocalists include Sudha Ragunathan, Nithyashree Mahadevan, Sanjay Subrahmanyan

Sanjay Subrahmanyan

Sanjay Subrahmanyan is a Carnatic music singer from India. He performed in many concerts in India and overseas and has won many awards for his excellence. He believes that listening takes a musician closer to perfection.He is very simple and very open...

, Bombay Jayashri Ramnath, Aruna Sairam, Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam

Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam

Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam is an eminent Carnatic music vocalist. As a student and performer of classical music for over three decades, she has performed extensively in India and abroad since the age of twelve. She has conducted numerous workshops and lecture demonstrations on the various aspects...

, P. Unnikrishnan, T. M. Krishna

T. M. Krishna

T.M. Krishna is a Carnatic music vocalist. Hailing from a family of music connoisseurs, he was exposed to the south Indian classical music at an early age. His first concert was at the Spirit of Youth series organized by the Music Academy, Chennai . Since then, he has travelled widely in India and...

, S. Sowmya

S. Sowmya

S. Sowmya is a Carnatic music singer. She learnt music initially from her father Dr. Srinivasan, and later from S. Ramanathan and Smt.T. Muktha. In 1998, Sowmya co-founded Carnatica - an online institution dedicated to classical music & dance instruction, archival, talent search and other related...

, Priya Sisters, Vani Sateesh

Vani Sateesh

Vani Sateesh is a Carnatic vocalist.-Lineage:Vani Sateesh was born in Bangalore, Karnataka. She hails from a family of Carnatic musicians going back many generations. Her Great Grandfather Bellary M. Raghavendrachar belonged to Haridasa Parampara of Vijaya Dasaru, a prominent Haridasa of Karnataka...

, Ranjani-Gayatri

Ranjani-Gayatri

Ranjani and Gayatri are Carnatic concert vocalists and violinists.-Early life:Ranjani and Gayatri were born to N. Balasubramanian and Meenakshi . Born into a family deeply involved in classical music, Ranjani and Gayatri's musical talents were discovered at a very early age...

, Sikkil Gurucharan, Carnatica Brothers (Shashikiran & Ganesh), Vijay Siva

Vijay Siva

N Vijay Siva is an eminent Carnatic music singer, and is the disciple of the vocalist, D. K. Jayaraman.-Background:Vijay Siva was born to Akhila Siva and A.N.Siva on 29 March 1967....

, Malladi Brothers

Malladi Brothers

The Malladi Brothers, Malladi Sreeramprasad and Malladi Ravikumar, are a Carnatic music vocalist duo. They started their music education under Malladi Srirammurthy and Malladi Suri Babu, their grandfather and father respectively...

 - Sriram Prasad & Ravikumar, S Saketharaman, Sreevalsan J Menon, Abhishek Raghuram, T N S Krishna, Gayathri Venkataraghavan

Gayathri Venkataraghavan

Gayathri Venkataraghavan is a Carnatic vocalist.She started her training in Carnatic music at an early age by learning under Smt.Rajalakshmi and then under Smt. Padma Veeraraghavan.- Awards and Titles :...

, S.P.Ramh, Charulatha Mani

Charulatha Mani

Charulatha Mani is a popular young Carnatic singer. Charulatha has been performing Carnatic concerts for more than 10 years. She has also sung for movies. Charulatha has appeared in numerous TV shows and radio programmes, in India, and overseas. She has recorded many, CD and DVD albums...

, V.Shankaranarayanan, Nadhamuni Gayatri Bharat, K V Krishna Prasad and others.

Past Instrumentalists

T. Chowdiah, Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan

Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan

Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan was an Indian classical music violinist.-Early life:He was born to Sri Ramaswamy Sastri and Smt. Meenakshi at Kunnakudi, a temple town of Lord Murugan in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.His father was a scholar in Sanskrit and Tamil, and a composer and exponent of...

, Rajamanikkam Pillai, Sikkil Bhaskaran Papa Venkataramiah, Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu

Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu

Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu was one of the most important carnatic violinists of the 20th century.-Early life and background:...

 among others, excelled in violin, while Palghat Mani Iyer

Palghat Mani Iyer

Palghat T.S. Mani Iyer was one of the leading mridangists in the field of Carnatic music and the first mridangist to win the Sangeetha Kalanidhi andPadmabhushan awards....

, Palani Subramaniam Pillai

Palani Subramaniam Pillai

Palani Subramaniam Pillai was a well known Carnatic music percussionist. He was adept in playing the mridangam and kanjira. He was the sishya of the celebrated Malikkottai Panchapakesa Pillai .-Early life:Subramaniam Pillai was born on April 20, 1908...

, C.S.Murugabhoopathy and Palghat R. Raghu

Palghat R. Raghu

Palghat R. Raghu was a famous Carnatic musician and percussionist.- Early life :Palghat R. Raghu was born on January 9, 1928 in Rangoon, Burma . He died of cardiac arrest on June 2, 2009. As a child, he was immensely talented and inducted into mridangam lessons very early in his life...

 redefined the role of mridangam in concerts in the recent past. Sharaba Shastry, Palladam Sanjeeva Rao, T. R. Mahalingam

T. R. Mahalingam (flautist)

-External links:* * * *...

, T. Viswanathan and Thyagarajan

Thyagarajan

Thiagarajan is an actor, director and producer of Tamil films. He is the father of Tamil actor Prashanth.-Selected filmography:* John Janni Janardhan* Neengal ketavai* Alaigal Oivathillai* Manu Uncle * Adholokam * Oru Muthassi Katha...

 were famous flute

Venu

The venu is a bamboo transverse flute used in the Carnatic music of South India. Although it is often called Carnatic flute or simply flute in English, venu is the instrument's ancient Sanskrit name...

 players. Some of the well known veena players include Veena Dhanammal

Veena Dhanammal

Veenai Dhanammal was a highly accomplished Carnatic musician, and the torchbearer of the school of Carnatic music that goes by her name. She was both a vocalist and a performer on the veena...

, Karaikkudi Brothers, Doraiswamy Iyengar

Doraiswamy Iyengar

Doreswamy Iyengar, generally known as Mysore V. Doreswamy Iyengar , was a famous Carnatic musician and an exponent of the Veena...

, Emani Sankara Sastry

Emani sankara sastry

Emani Sankara Sastry , was a renowned Veena player of Carnatic music.-Life sketch:Sankara Sastry was born on September 23, 1922 in Draksharama, Andhra Pradesh. He came from a family of celebrated classical musicians...

, Veena Chitti Babu

Chitti Babu

Chitti Babu is a Indian comedian, presenter and actor who prominently plays supporting roles in Tamil cinema. He was also one of the judges in the comedy show Asathapovathu Yaaru on Sun TV.Filmography=Television=* Hari Giri Assembly...

, S. Balachander

S. Balachander

Sundaram Balachander , born in Madras was an Indian self-taught veena player.-Early life:His ancestors were from the Tanjore area, which is acclaimed as the seat of culture and fine arts in South India. His grandfather is Rao Saheb Vaidyanatha Iyer. He was born to V. Sundaram Iyer and Parvathi...

 and K.S. Narayanaswamy.

Past-Present Instrumentalists

Lalgudi G. Jayaraman

Lalgudi Jayaraman

Lalgudi Jayarama Iyer is a well-known Carnatic violinist, vocalist and composer.-Early life and background:...

, L. Subramaniam

L. Subramaniam

Dr. Lakshminarayana Subramaniam is an acclaimed Indian violinist, composer and conductor, trained in the classical Carnatic music tradition and Western classical music, and renowned for his virtuoso playing techniques and compositions in orchestral fusion.-Early years:Subramaniam was born to V...

, L. Shankar

L. Shankar

Lakshminarayanan Shankar, also known as L. Shankar and Shenkar, is an Indian-born American violinist, singer and composer.-Early life:...

, T.N.Krishnan, M.S.Gopalakrishnan, Nagai Muralidharan and A. Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari (violinist)

Avasarala Kanyakumari is a renowned female Carnatic music violinist from South India.-Profile:Kanyakumari is a native of Vijayanagaram, Andhra Pradesh and has been living in Chennai for more than 4 decades.She belongs to a family of musicians.Her parents Sri Avasarala Ramarathnam and...

 are among the living violinists who still perform. The mridhangists who fall under this category include Karaikudi R Mani, Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman

Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman

Umayalpuram Kasiviswanatha Sivaraman is an Indian mridangam player. He was awarded with the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honor, on the occasion of the country's 61st Republic Day observance on January 26, 2010 and received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Kerala in...

, T. K. Murthy

T. K. Murthy

T. K. Murthy is an Indian mridangam player.-Early life:Murthy was born on 13 August 1924 to Thanu Bhagavathar and Annapoorani. At the age of eight, he was guided to Tanjore Vaidyanatha Iyer. Vaidyanatha Iyer, took Murthy to Tanjore, where Palghat Mani Iyer and Thambuswami, brother of T. M....

, Guruvayur Dorai

Guruvayur Dorai

Guruvayur Dorai is one of India's senior-most exponents of the South Indian classical percussion instrument, the mridangam. He had his initial training under Palghat Subba Iyer and E.P. Narayana Pisharody, and later from the legendary master Palani Subramaniam Pillai...

, Mannargudi Easwaran

Mannargudi Easwaran

Mannargudi Easwaran is a leading contemporary mridangam player and Carnatic musician. He is a staff artiste of All India Radio and has received several awards, including Kalaimamani from the Government of Tamil Nadu in 2003 and the Palghat Mani Iyer Award in 2006.Easwaran has played the...

, T. V. Gopalakrishnan

T. V. Gopalakrishnan

Tirupanithurai Viswanatha Gopalakrishnan is a Carnatic and Hindustani musician from Chennai.Gopalakrishnan hails from a family of musicians, spanning over two centuries; his father was a court musician for the Cochin Royal Family. He is a vocalist, plays the violin and is also an exponent of the...

, Srimushnam V.Raja Rao, I. Sivakumar and J. Vaidhyanathan. T. H. Vinayakram

Thetakudi Harihara Vinayakram

Thetakudi Harihara Vinayakram , also known as Vikku Vinayakram is a Grammy Award–winning Indian percussionist. Vinayakram plays Carnatic music with the ghatam, an earthen pot. Vinayakram is credit for the progress and development as well as popularizing of the ghatam.-Early life:Vikku Vinayakram...

, T.H. Subash Chandran and N. Govindarajan are Ghatam

Ghatam

The ghaṭam is a percussion instrument used in the Carnatic music of South India. Its analogue in Rajasthan is known as the madga and pani mataqa "water jug"....

 players who are in this category.

[Prof.Dr.Prapancham Seetharaman], N. Ramani

N. Ramani

N. Ramani is a renowned Indian Carnatic flautist.-Early life and background:N. Ramani was born in Tiruvarur in Tamil Nadu. Aside from the influence of his place of birth, Ramani was born into a musical family...

, K S Gopalakrishnan, B V Balasai, K. Bhaskaran

K. Bhaskaran

- Early Life :K. Bhaskaran was born on 30th April 1961 to Lakshmi Krishnamurthi and K. Krishnamurthi, and brought up in Mylapore, in the city of Chennai. Bhaskaran started formally learning flute from Mayavaram Saraswathi Ammal when he was 10 years of age, after picking up the basics through...

, Sikkil Sisters

Sikkil Sisters - Kunjumani & Neela

Sikkil Kunjumani, the elder of the sisters, was born on June 15, 1930 and Sikkil Neela, the younger was born on September 6, 1940. Together they are more famously known as the Sikkil Sisters. Their father Azhiyur Natesa Iyer was a mridangist...

, and Shashank Subramanyam are the most well known flute

Venu

The venu is a bamboo transverse flute used in the Carnatic music of South India. Although it is often called Carnatic flute or simply flute in English, venu is the instrument's ancient Sanskrit name...

 players of today, while E. Gayathri

E. Gayathri

Echampati Gayathri, popularly known as "Veena Gayathri" is a veena exponent of the traditional Carnatic music. She is the recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in the year 2002, "Kalaimamani" award from Dr.M.G.R on behalf of the Government of Tamilnadu in the year 1984 and Lifetime Achievement...

, S.Balachander, Kalpakam Swaminathan

Kalpakam Swaminathan

Kalpakam Swaminathan was a vainika of Carnatic music.-Profile:Kalpakam was born in Sethalapathi village in the Tiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu, India. Her mother Abhayambal initiated her into the world of Carnatic music when she was eight years of age...

, Padmavathi Ananthagopalan and Rugmini Gopalakrishnan

Rugmini Gopalakrishnan

Rugmini Gopalakrishnan is a Saraswati veena artist in Carnatic music from India.-Profile:Smt. Rugmini Gopalakrishnan was born in Tamil Nadu, before moving to Kerala with her family as a young girl. She is the granddaughter of Gayakashikhamani Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar...

 are known in the same way for playing the Veena

Veena

Veena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...

. Kadri Gopalnath

Kadri Gopalnath

Dr. Kadri Gopalnath is an Indian saxophonist and one of the pioneers of Carnatic music on the saxophone.-Early life:...

 is similarly known for his Carnatic talents on the saxophone

Saxophone

The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...

, while N. Ravikiran is known in the same way for playing several stringed instruments, most notably the Chitraveena/Gottuvadhyam.

Current Instrumentalists

Violinists of today include SMT.RadhaNarayanan, MeeraSivaramakrishnan, Lalgudi G.J.R. Krishnan, Mysore Nagaraj, Dr.Mysore Manjunath

Mysore manjunath

- Child prodigy :Amazingly Gifted Violin Maestro Dr. Mysore Manjunath represents Carnatic classical music, one of the main branches of Indian music. He was born in the city of Mysore, which is a centre for music, in South India. He trained on the violin under his father, Prof...

, Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi

Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi

Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi is a well-known Carnatic violinist, vocalist and composer.-Early life:Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi was born in Chennai to violin maestro, Lalgudi Jayaraman...

, T.K.V. Ramanujacharyulu, Nagai Muralidharan

Nagai Muralidharan

Nagai R. Muralidharan is an Indian musician and Carnatic violinist. He had his initial training in music from Smt. Komalavalli at the age of seven and continued his violin under Shri R.S. Gopalkrishnan. He has been a regular stage performer for over 40 years now, and hasaccompanied many leading...

, Dr. M. Lalitha and M. Nandini, Ganesh and Kumaresh

Ganesh and Kumaresh

Ganesh and Kumaresh are a well known duo of violin players who are a part of the South India music fraternity . They are best known as modern contemporary artists who have done lot of service to "Sastriya Sangitam"...

, Mysore HN Bhaskar, Vittal Ramamurthy

Vittal Ramamurthy

Vittal Ramamurthy is a leading and popular violinist in the Carnatic music tradition of South India. He is an outstandingsoloist as well as an excellent accompanist...

, Embar S. Kannan, V. Sanjeev, Nagai Sriram

Nagai Sriram

Nagai Sriram is an Indian musician and Carnatic violinist.-Career:He was introduced to the Carnatic violin at the age of 10 under his grandmother, Smt R. Komalavalli. He currently receives more advanced training from his uncle Vidwan Kalaimaamani Nagai Sri R. Muralidharan...

, L.Athira Krishna and Padma Shankar.Srivatsan Vasudevan
Mridangists of today include Trichy Sankaran

Trichy Sankaran

Trichy Sankaran is an Indian percussionist, composer, scholar, and educator. He is acknowledged as one of the foremost virtuosos of the mridangam and also plays the kanjira on occasion. Since the early 1970s, he has performed and recorded in a number of cross-cultural projects.Sankaran has lived...

, Thiruvarur Vaidyanathan, Neyveli Narayanan, Thiruvarur Bakthavathsalam

Thiruvarur Bakthavathsalam

Thiruvarur Bakthavathsalam is a Mridangam musician from a family of traditional musicians in the Tanjore district of Tamilnadu, India. He is currently staying in Chennai.- Career :...

, Patri Satishkumar, Trichy B. Harikumar, Neyveli Skandasubramaniam , Nanganallur Santosh and Arun Prakash

Arun Prakash

Admiral Arun Prakash PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM, Indian Navy, served as Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy and Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee from 31 July 2004 to 31 October 2006...

.
Ghatam specialists include Karthik

Karthik

Karthik is a male given name that is most common name in the southern part of India. The name stands for the Hindu god "Muruga," son of Lord Shiva.The name may refer to:-Actors:...

, Vikku Vinyakaram, Uduppi Sridhar, Giridhar Udupa, Thripunithura Radhakrishnan.
Khanjira specialists include N. Amrit N, V. Selvaganesh, B. Shree Sundar Kumar, N. Ganeshkumar, K. S. Rangachari, K. V. R. S. Mani, C. P. Vyasa Vittala, C. S. Venkatramanan, Abhishek Raghuram, Alathur T. Rajaganesh, B. S. Purushotham, Guru Raghavendra, Latha Ramachar, Nerkunam S. Sankar, Neyveli B. Venkatesh, Papanasam S. Sethuraman, Thenkasi H. Paramasivam, Thiruvayur Saikrishnan, Thrikakkara Y. N. Shantharam, Tirupur G. Sridhar Kumar, Trichy V. V. S. Manian
Flute

Venu

The venu is a bamboo transverse flute used in the Carnatic music of South India. Although it is often called Carnatic flute or simply flute in English, venu is the instrument's ancient Sanskrit name...

 players of today include Mala Chandhrashekhar

Sikkil Mala Chandrasekar

Sikkil Mala Chandrasekhar is a noted South Indian musician playing the flute. Mala Chandrasekhar was born to a musical family.Mala Chandrasekhar started learning from her aunt and mother Sikkil Sisters - Kunjumani & Neela...

, R. Thyagarajan, R. Atul Kumar, S. Shashank, Kudamaloor Janardanan

Kudamaloor Janardanan

Kudamaloor Janardanan[കുടമാളൂര്‍ ജനാര്‍ദ്ദനന്‍] is an Indian flautist of the Carnatic music tradition.-Early life and background:...

, Sreedhar, T. Suresh, K. Bhaskaran

K. Bhaskaran

- Early Life :K. Bhaskaran was born on 30th April 1961 to Lakshmi Krishnamurthi and K. Krishnamurthi, and brought up in Mylapore, in the city of Chennai. Bhaskaran started formally learning flute from Mayavaram Saraswathi Ammal when he was 10 years of age, after picking up the basics through...

, K. S. Gopalakrishnan,Prof. Dr. Prapancham Sitaram, N. Ramani, T. S. Sankaran. Veena

Veena

Veena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...

 players of today include R.S. Jayalakshmi Jayanthi Kumaresh

Jayanthi Kumaresh

Jayanthi Kumaresh is a noted Veena player from Tamil Nadu, India.-References:...

, Nirmala Rajasekar

Nirmala Rajasekar

Nirmala Rajasekar is an Indian veena player in the Carnatic music style. She is a world-renowned performer and a teacher of Carnatic Music as well. The press has often described her as a "Carnatic Ambassador" because she has introduced Carnatic Music to many other art forms of the world...

, E. Gayathri

E. Gayathri

Echampati Gayathri, popularly known as "Veena Gayathri" is a veena exponent of the traditional Carnatic music. She is the recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in the year 2002, "Kalaimamani" award from Dr.M.G.R on behalf of the Government of Tamilnadu in the year 1984 and Lifetime Achievement...

, Srivani Yalla, Rajhesh Vaidhya

Rajhesh Vaidhya

Rajhesh Vaidhya , is an Indian veena player hailing from Tamil Nadu. Besides performing on stage, he has worked with various film music composers. He also acted in the movie Viswa Thulasi and in Premi, a tele-serial...

, Punya Srinivas

Punya Srinivas

Punya Srinivas is a professional vainika and vocalist.She was initiated into music from the age of 6 by Smt.Jayalakshmi from the Music Academy and was later on trained in Veena from Vidushi Smt. Kamala Aswathama, the mother of renowned vainika E. Gayathri...

 and others.

Guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

 players of today also include R. Prasanna and V. Vijay Arun, while Maestro U Shrinivas, his brother U Rajesh, U.P Raju and his wife Nagamani are the notable musicians who play the mandolin

Mandolin

A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...

.