Neyyattinkara Vasudevan
Encyclopedia
Neyyattinkara Vasudevan (1940–2008) 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.
in southern Travancore
, and did his formal music studies from the Swati Tirunal Music College, Thiruvananthapuram
, chiefly under Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer
. He also did advanced studies under Ramnad Krishnan
.He passed Ganabhushanam in 1960 and Sangeetha Vidwan in 1962.
He worked as assistant professor at the RLV College of Music, Thripunithura, for nearly a decade before joining All India Radio as an A-grade staff vocalist in 1974. He retired in 2000 and was later ranked ‘A Top’, the highest honour given by AIR to classical musicians.
He died on May 13, 2008 in Thiruvananthapuram.
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 from Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
in south India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The Padmasree-winning Carnatic vocalist and disciple of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer is considered to be one of the greatest Carnatic vocalists of the twentieth century...
and 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...
, he combined tradition and innovation in his widely acclaimed career.
Biography
Vasudevan born in a village near NeyyattinkaraNeyyattinkara
Neyyattinkara is municipality in Thiruvananthapuram district in the Indian state of Kerala. The name Neyyattinkara in Malayalam literally means the shore of Neyyar River. Neyyar River flows from Agasthyarkoodam , the highest peak in southern end of the Western Ghats. The taluk has a total...
in southern Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
, and did his formal music studies from the Swati Tirunal Music College, Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
, chiefly under Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer is considered to be one of the greatest Carnatic vocalists of the twentieth century...
. He also did advanced studies under 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...
.He passed Ganabhushanam in 1960 and Sangeetha Vidwan in 1962.
He worked as assistant professor at the RLV College of Music, Thripunithura, for nearly a decade before joining All India Radio as an A-grade staff vocalist in 1974. He retired in 2000 and was later ranked ‘A Top’, the highest honour given by AIR to classical musicians.
He died on May 13, 2008 in Thiruvananthapuram.
Movies
He has also sung for few Malayalam movies.| Year | Song | Movie |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Sarasa Suvadana | Enipadikal |
| 1987 | Parama Purusha | Swathi Thirunal |
| 1988 | Nagumomu | Chitram |
| 1990 | Sree Jaanaveedharam | Vachanam |
| 2000 | Geyam hari naamadheyam | Mazha |
| 2000 | Paarukkulle | Mazha |