Mumbai: The Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha, Mumbai, marked a momentous occasion recently by celebrating the centenary of the Mahavidvan of Mridangam Padma Shri Dr T.K. Murthy at the Sabha Auditorium.
This was not just a celebration but a significant milestone in Dr. Murthy’s life. The Sabha and many sister institutions marked it as Poornabhishekam, a rare honour reserved for those who have crossed 100 years of life. It’s akin to the joyous occasion of Kanakabhishekam, performed when great-grandchildren are born during a person’s lifetime.
Thanu Krishna Murthy, or TK, is popularly known as an Indian (classical instrument) Mridangam player. Murthy is a Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Akademi for Carnatic Music awardee.
Dr. Murthy’s musical journey began at the tender age of three, under the loving guidance of his father. His mother, Annapurni, introduced him to the mridangam, and he began his formal training under the tutelage of his elder brother, Gopalakrishnan. This early start and the nurturing environment of his family set the stage for his illustrious career.
When Thanjavur Vaidyanatha Iyer, a mridangam virtuoso and the founder of the Thanjavur style of mridangam, listened to Murthy‘s performance at a concert, he was impressed and decided to train him.
Vaidyanatha Iyer took Murthy to Tanjore, where Palghat Mani Iyer and Thambuswami (brother of eminent Carnatic vocalist T. M. Thiagarajan) were also undergoing training.
ge of court musicians that spans seven generations. He is the fifth generation of musicians, a testament to the enduring legacy of his family in the music industry.
Notably, Dr Murthy accompanied Bharat Ratna Dr M.S. Subbulakshmi for 60 years. In her famous U.N. General Assembly concert in 1966, Murthy played mridangam.
In the past eight decades, he has played for almost all the musicians, including Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Chembai Vaidhyanatha Bagavathar, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, M. S. Subbulakshmi, Madurai Somasundaram, D. K. Jayaraman, M. Balamuralikrishna, and Kunnakudi. Vaidyanathan, KJ Yesudas, Lalgudi Jayaraman, T. V. Sankaranarayanan and U. Srinivas.
Murthy’s son, T.K. Jayaraman, was a music composer at All India Radio, and his grandson, Karthikeya Murthy, is a film music composer. During his career, which spanned over 80 years, Murthy performed in more than 15,000 concerts.
