Thiruvaiyaru
Krishnan
Srinivasaraghava
Krishnan, popularly known as ‘Thiruvaiyaru Krishnan’,
is a Carnatic musician, lyricist, composer, poet, journalist, and a popular
(story and screenplay writer.
Krishnan started training in Carnatic music, the oldest form of music, at a very young age under the tutelage of his father KumAramangalam SrinivAsarAghavan, a vAkgeyakAra (musician composer) of the 1940s. He also learned under other legendary musicians such as Sangeeta KalAnidhis MaharAjapuram ViswanAtha Iyer, Madurai Mani Iyer and GN BAlasubramaniam. Krishnan has performed since he was nine years of age and has given concerts in India and around the world accompanied by artists who are legends and leading names in the Carnatic Music world.
Krishnan is a celebrated exponent of ‘nAma Sankeertanam’, a classical divine Indian musical tradition which has been handed down by eminent saints over the last five centuries to present day purveyors of this exalted tradition. Hailing from a family of BhAgavatAs, Krishnan has performed this ancient and divine form of musical presentation over the last 45 years, in four continents. His Gurus in this tradition include his father KumAramangalam Srinivasaraghavan, Brahmasri NAthamuni NArAyaNa Iyengar, BhAgavata SirOmaNi Brahmasri NArAyana SAstri, and SwAmi Haridoss Giri (popularly known as Guruji), a legendary name in this tradition with whom Krishnan has performed numerous Sankeertanams and “RAdha KalyANams” from when he was 12 years of age.
His
earliest Opera presentation/musical compilation
on RAmAyaNam, titled “SitAyAscharitam Mahat”, set to musical score by
Sangeeta KalAnidhis
Musiri
Subrahmanya Iyer and Mudikondan Venkatarama Iyer, and choreographed by
Dr. V. Raghavan, was acclaimed widely, and honored by Sir C.P Ramaswamy Iyer. A thespian since his youth, throughout his
collegiate years, he was invited to the prestigious National Festivals in
Ujjaini to
play leading roles in many of
Kalidasa’s famed works.
He has acted and directed a number of plays in several Indian languages and his
theatrical efforts won acclaim in the news media and awards from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Krishnan has written, composed and set to
music a
traditional opera/dance presentation on the Lord of Sabarimala, and has to his credit numerous
Carnatic music compositions in several languages including Sanskrit, Telegu, Tamil, and
Kannada.
A disciple of His Holiness Jagadguru Kanchi Paramacharya (Kanchi Pontiff of the Adi Sankara Order), Krishnan continued training in the Vedas and scriptures in Sanskrit College, Madras, as part of a program conducted under the auspices of the Kanchi Pontiff. Krishnan has been teaching Carnatic Music for over 40 years in four continents and has a number of disciples in Europe, England and California, where he settled with his family in late 1980s. His many interests include playing a number of musical instruments (Indian and Western), and an untiring quest into different systems of philosophy.
Krishnan with his wife Radha and his three daughters 'Krishnan sisters [aka California sisters]' are involved in several philanthropic activities. Krishnan's music performances are mostly for fundraisers and their recordings supplement their support to charities and Homes for the mentally and physically challenged and hospitals for the underprivileged.
A gold medalist from the renowned University of Madras (one of the six oldest universities in India), Krishnan has the distinction of being a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (London) and a Fellow of Financial Accountants (London) since 1980. Krishnan has held top executive positions with several international banks, has very widely traveled the globe and has served in four continents for more than 42 years. He is a founder partner of a reputed US Fiduciary and consulting Firm working for several US Federal and State Agencies, Regulators, Banks and foreign governments.