Mavelikkara Velukkutty Nair

Prof. Mavelikkara K Velukkutty Nair (born 2 October 1926) is an Indian mridangam players. He had undergone preliminary lessons in Mridangam from father Mridanga Vidwan Muthukulam S. Kumara Pillai. Later undergone advanced training from Maestro Padmabhooshan Palghat Mani Iyer under Gurukula system for a period of 8 years.

He joined the Kerala State Government Service as Teacher in Mridangam at Sri. Swathi Thirunal College of Music in 1959. Retired as Professor and Head, Department of Mridangam from the same college in 1982. Had been Visiting Professor during 1984-85. Has been imparting advanced training to students with Government of India cultural scholarship for several years. Guru of a big list of disciples from all over the country, which includes Changanasseri B Harikumar, T V Vasan (Ghatom), Trivandrum V Surendran, Prof. Parassala B Ravi, R. Vydianathan, Erickavu N Sunil, Kadakkavoor Rajeshnath, Vaikom Venugopal, Alleppey Chandrasekharan Nair, etc. ^[1][2]

He has accompanied concerts of 4 generations of musicians, starting from the leading exponents of Karnatic Music. The list includes Chembai Vydianatha Bhagavathor, Dr. Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Alathur Brothers, G. N. Balasubramoniam, Emani Sankara Sasthri, Madhurai Mani Iyer, Nedunoori Krishnamoorthy, Palghat K. V. Narayana Swami, M. D. Ramanathan, Dr. S. Ramanathan, Olleti Venkiteswaralu, Rajamundri M. S. Balasubrahmanya Sharma, D. K. Pattammal, D. K. Jayaraman, M. L. Vasantha Kumari, T. V. Sankaranarayanan, Dr. M. Balamuraleekrishna, K. S. Narayana Swami, S. Balachandar, Chitti Babu, T. N. Krishnan, Lalgudi Jayaraman, M. S. Gopalakrishnan, Maharajapuram Santhanam, Madhurai T. N. Seshagopalan, Thrichur V. Ramachandran, Neyyattinkara Vasudevan, Vaikom Vasudevan Nair, T. K. Govinda Rao, Parassala B. Ponnammal, T. S. Kalyanaraman, T. M. Thyagarajan, Dr. N. Ramani, Dr. K. J. Yesudas, O. S Thyagarajan, U. Sreenivas, T. M. Krishna, Ravi Kiran, Sankaran Namboodiri, Sanjay Subramoniam, etc.

Awards and recognitions

• A Top graded artist (highest award) in All India Radio and Doordarshan.
• Sangeetha Kalaacharya title from Music Academy, Chennai in 2008.
• State Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 1981.
• State Sangeet Natak Academy Fellowship in 1998.
• Golden Jubilee Award from Dr. Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer foundation, Chennai in 2002.
• Gayaka Ratna title from Sri. Swathi Thirunal Sangeet Sabha, Trivandrum in 2000.
• Mridanga Kalashiromani title from Palghat Mani Iyer Foundation, Bangalore in 2007.
• Ganalaya Visharath title from Travancore Devaswam Board in 1994.
• Guruvayoorappan Chembai Award from Guruvayoor Devaswam in 2008.
• Layavadya Ratna title from Sathguru Sangeetha Sabha, Trichi in 2009.
• Layavadya Praveena title from Kerala fine arts society, Ernakulam in 1998.
• Tansen Sangeetha Kalanidhi title from Tansen Sur Sangom, Trivandrum in 1995.
• Mridanga Ratnam title from Raja Rajeshwari Kalakshethram, Guruvayoor in 1994.
• Golden Jubilee Award from Sri. Swathi Thirunal Sangeet Sabha in 1992.
• Thulaseevanam award by Thulaseevanam Trust, Trivandrum in 1996.
• Annual Award from Guruvayoor Dorai Trust, Chennai in 2008.
• Kottaram Sankunni Nair Award from Harmoniom Chakravarthy Kottaram Sankunni Nair Memorial Trust, Changanassery in 2001.
• Sangeetha Ratna title from Sri. Nataraja Sangeetha Sabha, Varkala in 2008.
• Pranavasree Puraskar from Pranavam Sangeet Sabha, Kollam in 2006.
• Sangeetha Sampoorna title from Poornathrayesa Sangeet Sabha, Thripunithura.
• Vadya Kulapathi title from Kaladarppanam, Aluva in 2002.
• Sangeetha Ratna title from Adi Sankara Veda Vedanta Samskritha Co-operative Society, Trivandrum.
• Prathibha Pranamam by Manaveeyam, Government of Kerala.
• Cultural Award from Padmasree Krishnankutty Nair Memorial Trust in 2004.
• Mridanga Kalanidhi title from Nair Service Society, Muscat Chapter.
• Annual Award from Sree Raja Rajeswari Sangeetha Sabha, Alleppey in 1998.
• Award from Puthukkotta Dakshinamoorthy Pillai Memorial Trust, Trichi.

References

1. ^ JAYAKUMAR, G. "I Believe in Healthy Competition." The Hindu. 12 May 2008. Web. 03 Nov. 2010. [1].
2. ^ JAYAKRISHNAN, R.V. "Prabhakara Varma Felicitated." The Hindu. 17 Nov. 2003. Web. 03 Nov. 2010. [2].