Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi (Tamil: ,

Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi ? 16 September 1916 11 December 2004),

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
honour.[1] She is the first Indian musician to receive the Ramon Magsaysay award, often
considered Asia's Nobel Prize,[2] in 1974 with the citation reading "Exacting purists
acknowledge Srimati M. S. Subbulakshmi as the leading exponent of classical and semiclassical songs in the Karnataka tradition of South India."[3][4]

Contents

1 Biography
o 1.1 Early years
o 1.2 Move to Madras
2 Musical style and performance
o 2.1 Singing career
o 2.2 Films
3 Awards and honours
4 References
5 Further reading
6 External links

Biography
Early years
Subbulakshmi (Kunjamma to her family) was born in Madurai, Madras Presidency, India
to veena player Shanmukavadiver Ammal and Subramania Iyer. Her grandmother
Akkammal was a violinist.
She started learning Carnatic music at an early age and trained in Carnatic music under
the tutelage of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and subsequently in Hindustani music under
Pandit Narayanrao Vyas.
Her mother, from the devadasi community, was a music exponent and a regular stage
performer, and Subbulakshmi grew up in an environment very conducive to musical
learning. Her musical interests were also shaped by regular interactions with Karaikudi
Sambasiva Iyer, Mazhavarayanendal Subbarama Bhagavathar and Ariyakudi Ramanuja
Iyengar.[5]
Subbulakshmi gave her first public performance, at the age of eleven, in the year 1927, in
the 100 pillar hall inside the Rockfort Temple, Tiruchirappalli; with Mysore Chowdiah on
the violin and Dakshinamurthy Pillai on the mridangam.[6]

Move to Madras
In 1936 Subbulakshmi moved to Madras (now Chennai).[7] She also made her film debut
in Sevasadan in 1938.[8]

Musical style and performance

M.S. Subbulakshmi (left) with S. Varalakshmi in Sevasadhanam (1938)

Singing career
M.S. Subbulakshmi began her Carnatic classical music training under her mother
Shanmugavadivu; and later in Hindustani classical training under Pandit Narayan Rao
Vyas. Subbulakshmi first recording was released when she was 10 years old.
Subbulakshmi gave her first performance at the prestigious Madras Music Academy in
1929,when she was 13 years old . The performance consisted of singing bhajans (Hindu
hymns).[9] The academy was known for its discriminating selection process, and they
broke tradition by inviting a young girl as a key performer. Her performance was
described as spellbinding and earned her many admirers and the moniker of musical
genius from critics. Soon after her debut performances, Subbulakshmi became one of the
leading Carnatic vocalists.[7][10]
By the age of seventeen, Subbulakshmi was giving concerts on her own, including major
performances at the Madras Music Academy.
She travelled to London, New York, Canada, the Far East, and other places as India's
cultural ambassador. Her concerts at

Edinburgh International Festival of Music and Drama in 1963

Carnegie Hall, New York; the UN General Assembly on UN day in 1966
Royal Albert Hall, London in 1982

Festival of India in Moscow in 1987

were significant landmarks in her career.[11] In 1969 she was accompanied by Indian
Railways Advisor SN Venkata Rao to Rameshwaram, where she famously sang several
songs in front of each idol in the Rameshwaram temple.
After the death of her husband Kalki Sadasivam in 1997, she stopped all her public
performances.

Films
M.S. also acted in a few Tamil films in her youth. Her first movie Sevasadanam was
released on 2 May 1938. F.G. Natesa Iyer was the lead actor, opposite Subbulakshmi, in
this film, directed by K. Subramanyam. It was a critical and commercial success.[12]
Ananda Vikatan favourably reviewed the film on 8 May 1938:

We should always expect somethings from Subramaniam's direction for

instance depiction of social ills.. If we have to say only two words about this
talkie based on Premchand's story it is Go see (it).[13]

Sevasadanam is one of the early Tamil films to be set in a contemporary social setting
and to advocate reformist social policies. The film is an adapted version of Premchand's
novel Bazaar-e-Husn. The veteran Marxist leader N. Sankaraiah, has described
Sevasadanam as an "unusual film" for choosing the subject of marriages between young
girls and old men (which had social sanction). According to him, the film successfully
broughout the "sufferings of the girl" (acted by M.S.) and the "mental agony of the aged
husband".(acted by F.G.Natesa Iyer).Tamil film critic and historian Aranthai Narayanan
observes in his bookThamizh Cinemavin Kathai (The Story of Tamil Cinema) that "Seva
Sadhanam proved a turning point in the history of Tamil cinema. In the climax, the aged
husband, now a totally changed man, was shown as casting aside with utter contempt his
'sacred thread', which symbolises his Brahmin superiority. It came as a stunning blow to
the then Brahmin orthodoxy."[14]
MS Subbulakshmi also played the male role of Narada in "Savitri" (1941) to raise money
for launching Kalki, her husband's nationalist Tamil weekly. Her title role of the
Rajasthani saint-poetess Meera in the eponymous 1945 film gave her national
prominence. This movie was re-made in Hindi in 1947.
Year
1938

Film

Languag
e

Sevasadana
Tamil
m

1941 Savithiri

Tamil

CoStar
F. G.
Sumathi Natesa
Iyer
Saint
Y. V.
Narada Rao,
Role

Director

Music

Banner

K.
Madras
Papanasam
Subramanya
United Artists
Sivan
m
Corporation
Y. V. Rao
Thuraiyur Royal Talkie
Rajagopala Distributors

Year

Film

Languag
e

Role

CoStar

Director

Music

Banner

Sarma &
Kamaldas
Gupta

Shanta
Apte
1945 Meera

Tamil

Chittor
Meeraba V.
Ellis R.
i
Nagaia Dungan
h

1947 Meerabai

Hindi

Meeraba
i

Ellis R.
Dungan

S. V.
Chandraprabh
Venkatrama
a Cinetone
n
S. V.
Chandraprabh
Venkatrama
a Cinetone
n

Awards and honours

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had this to say about M.S. Subbulakshmi- "Who am I, a mere
Prime Minister before a Queen, a Queen of Music". While Lata Mangeshkar called her
Tapaswini (the Renunciate), Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan termed her Suswaralakshmi
(the goddess of the perfect note), and Kishori Amonkar labelled her the ultimate eighth
note or Aathuvaan Sur, which is above the seven notes basic to all music. The great
national leader and poet Sarojini Naidu called her "Nightingale of India". Her many
famous renditions of bhajans include the chanting of Bhaja Govindam, Vishnu
sahasranama (1000 names of Vishnu), Hari Tuma Haro and the Venkateswara
Suprabhatam (musical hymns to awaken Lord Balaji early in the morning).
She was widely honoured, praised and awarded. Some of the more popular ones
include[15]

Padma Bhushan in 1954

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1956
Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1968 (literally, Treasure Chest of Music. She was the first
woman recipient of the title)
Ramon Magsaysay award (often considered Asia's Nobel Prize) in 1974
Padma Vibhushan in 1975
Sangeetha Kalasikhamani in 1975 by The Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai
Kalidas Samman in 1988
Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration in 1990
Bharat Ratna in 1998.

She was honoured as a resident artist [Asthana Vidhwan] of Tirumala Tirupati

Devasthanams.[16] Tirupati Urban Development Authority (TUDA) has installed a bronze
statue of M.S. Subbulakshmi at the Poornakumbham circle in the temple town. It was
unveiled by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on 28 May 2006.[17]

The Kancheepuram Saree shade known as MS Blue was named after her[18] by the well
known Congress party member and philanthropist, Sri Muthu Chettiyar when they met at
the residence of Sri R. Aiyadurai and Smt. Thangam Aiyadurai at Lady Desikachari
Road, Madras, who were close friends of MS and Sadasivam.
A commemorative postage stamp on her was issued on 18-December-2005.[19]
She was bestowed with enormous prize moneys with these awards, most of which she
donated to charity. She has given more than 200 charity concerts and raised well over Rs.
10,000,000. She was awarded honorary degrees from several Universities. She was an
ardent devotee of Kanchi Mahaswamigal and she rendered his composition Maithreem
Bhajatha (O World! Cultivate peace) in her concert at the UN in 1966. She made a 20minute recording of Venkatesa Suprabhatam for HMV, the royalty from which goes to the
Veda Patasala run by the Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam.[20] She donated many of the
royalties on several best sold records to many charity organisations.

References
1.

"M S Subbulakshmi: 'Nightingale' of Carnatic music". Rediff (India). 12

December 2004.
2.
Clare Arthurs (25 July 2000). "Activists share 'Asian Nobel Prize'". BBC
News. Retrieved 20 February 2008.
3.
"Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation". Rmaf.org.ph. Retrieved 22
September 2013.
4.
The Ramon Magsaysay awards, Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation,
1982, p. 141
5.
Srivastava, Gauri (2006). Women role models: some eminent women of
contemporary India. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 5557. ISBN 978-818069-336-6. OCLC 74991412.
6.
SRUTI magazine cover story on F.G.Natesa Iyer, page 25, issue number
330,March 2012
7.
"M.S. subbulakshmi passes away, aged 88". The Hindu. 12 December
2004. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
8.
"M. S. Subbulakshmi (19162004)" (PDF). National Resource Center for
Women, Government of India. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
9.
"Popular Indian classical singer M.S. Subbulakshmi dead". Pakistan
Times. 13 December 2004. Retrieved 16 October 2009.
10.
Murthi, R. K. Encyclopedia of Bharat Ratnas. Pitambar Publishing.
pp. 176179. ISBN 978-81-209-1307-3.
11.
K.S. Mahadevan. "M.S.SUBBULAKSHMI A DIVINE MAESTRO".
Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
12.
"The stamp of honour". The Hindu. Hinduonnet.com. 10 July 2000.
Retrieved 22 September 2013.
13.
Arandhai Narayanan (2008). Arambakala Tamil Cinema (193141) (in
Tamil). Chennai: Vijaya Publications. p. 26.

14.

"Vishwanathan S. "A progressive film maker; Tribute to K.Subramanian,

Volume 21 Issue 14, Jul. 03 16, 2004 of Frontline magazine ,(brought out by
Hindu publications), Chennai, Tamilnadu". Frontlineonnet.com. Retrieved 22
September 2013.
15.
"MS Subbulakshmi's music is relevant even today". IBN Live (India). 16
September 2011.
16.
"Humility personified". The Hindu (India). 17 December 2004.
17.
"Statue of M.S. unveiled at Tirupati". The Hindu (Tirupati, India). 29 May
2006.
18.
"The lure of the Kanchi silk". The Hindu (India). 5 November 2004.
19.
"Stamps 2005". Department of Posts, Indian government. Retrieved 2
August 2013.
20.
"Pages ago Singing for Bapu, Jawaharlal and Paramacharya". The Hindu
(India). 22 December 2010.

Further reading

M.S. Subbulaksmi, the Voice Divine (79 pages) by V. Gangadhar.

MS A Life in Music, T. J. S. George. 2004, HarperCollins. ISBN 978-81-7223527-7
Gowri Ramnarayan (1831 Dec 2004), "Cover Story: The M.S. phenomenon",
Frontline 21 (26)
MS & Radha Saga of Steadfast Devotion by Gowri Ramnarayan
http://www.msstribute.org/

M.S Subbulakshmi
M.S Subbulakshmi is a name that is synonymous with
the world of Carnatic music. This flawless singer
whose voice had a divine power is the first singer in
India to be presented with the Bharat Ratna, the highest
award given to any civilian. Born on 16th September,
1916 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, this singer had a family
that had a musical background. Her full name was
Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi and she was
fondly known as M.S or M.S.S. Her mother tongue
was Kannada. Read the life history of M S Subbalakshmi in this short biography.
M.S was introduced to Carnatic music at a very early age. She released her first album at
the mere age of 10! She received training in classical carnatic music under the famous
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and then learnt Hindustani classical music under Pundit
Narayan Rao Vyas. M.S gave her first public performance at Kumbakonam during
Mahamaham festival. Then M.S went to the Madras Music Academy and gave a stunning
performance at the age of 17. Apart from her mother tongue Kannada, M.S sang in Tamil,
Malayalam, Telugu, Hindi, Sanskrit, Bengali, Gujarati, etc.

M.S also did her stint as an actress and one of the most memorable films was Bhakta
Meera (1945). The versatile singer sang all famous Meera bhajans in her melodious voice
and these bhajans are enjoyed by people even today. Her other films include
Sevasadanam, Savitri and Meera (Tamil). She attained much acclaim and success in
films, but they did not appeal to her after some time. She quit films and continued to give
public performances and concerts.
In the year 1936, she met Sadasivam who was a freedom fighter. They both got married
after four years in 1940. Sadasivam already had children from his last marriage and did
not have any further children with M.S. She treated his kids like they were her own and
showered them with love and affection. She was affectionately called "Amu Paati" by the
kids Radha, Viji and Thangam (Sadasivam's orphaned niece adopted by M.S).
M S Subbulakshmi has performed in London (Royal Albert Hall), New York (Carnegie
Hall), Canada, Far East, Moscow, etc. These performances are regarded among her best
performances. She was applauded by not just Indians, but foreigners as well. People who
did not even understand the language she was singing in said that she is a divine
manifestation. Her fan list included Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, among other
elite people. Mahatma Gandhi commented that he would rather hear Subbulakshmi speak
the songs rather than hear someone else sing it.
Some of her most famous works include Suprabhatam (Early Morning Hymns),
Bhajagovindam (composed by Adi Shankaracharya praising Lord Krishna), Kurai Onrum
Illai (composed by Rajagopalachari), Vishnu Sahasranamam (1000 names of Lord
Vishnu), Hanuman Chalisa (Prayers to Lord Hanuman), etc. Any ardent fan of Carnatic
classical music is sure to have all these and much more works of M.S Subbulakshmi.
Another moving composition is the song Vaishnava Janato that can bring tears to
anybody. The way she sang, her devotion, her tone, her pitch, her perfect pronunciation is
inimitable and flawless. She has been a recipient of innumerable awards. This great soul
passed away on 11th December 2004 in Chennai at the age of 88. The rich legacy of
music that she gave us will live forever.

MS Subbulakshmi Biography

Born: September 16, 1916

Died: December 11, 2004
Achievements: Famous for rendering devotional songs; called as Nightingale of India;
recipient of Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Ramon Magsaysay Award, and Bharat
Ratna
MS Subbulakshmi was a legendary Carnatic musician. She was popularly known as
Nightingale of India. Her rendering of bhajans (devotional songs) was divine and used to
enthrall and transfix listeners, and transport them into a different world
MS Subbulakshmi (Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi) was born as Kunjamma
in the temple city of Madurai on September 16, 1916. She was born into a family of
musicians. Her grandmother Akkammal played the violin and her mother was a veena
artist.
MS Subbulakshmi started learning Carnatic music from a very early age. She made her
debut as a singer at the age of eight and went on to perform in concerts, a domain
traditionally reserved for males. She began her Carnatic classical music training under
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and then Hindustani classical training under Pandit Narayan
Rao Vyas.
By the age of 17, Subbulakshmi was giving concerts on her own, including major
performances at the Madras Music Academy, the prestigious center for the study and
promotion of Carnatic music. In 1940, she married T. Sadasivam, a freedom fighter, and a
follower of Rajaji. He played a key role in advancing her career.
She also acted in a few Tamil films in her youth. Her first movie "Sevasadanam" was
released in 1938. MS Subbulakshmi also played the male role of Narada in "Savitri"
(1941) to raise money for launching Kalki, her husband's nationalist Tamil weekly. Her

title role of the Rajasthani saint-poetess Meera in the eponymous film (1945) gave her
national prominence. This movie was re-made in Hindi in 1947. The movie had M.S
Subbulakshmi. sing the famous Meera bhajans, with Dilipkumar Roy as the music
director. Those renditions by M.S. continue to haunt listeners to this day. Following the
success of the film she quit films and turned wholly to concert music.
MS Subbulakshmi traveled to London, New York, Canada, the Far East, and other places
as India's cultural ambassador. Her concerts at Carnegie Hall, New York; the UN General
Assembly on UN day in 1966; the Royal Albert Hall, London in 1982; and at the Festival
of India in Moscow in 1987 were significant landmarks in her career.
MS Subbulakshmi received many honours and awards. These include Padma Bhushan in
1954, Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1968 (She was the first woman recipient of the title),
Ramon Magsaysay award in 1974, the Padma Vibhushan in 1975, the Kalidasa Samman
in 1988, the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration in 1990, and the Bharat Ratna
in 1998. She was also honored as the court-singer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
After the death of her husband Sadasivam in 1997, MS Subbulakshmi stopped all her
public performances. She had no children. MS Subbulakshmi died on December 11, 2004
after a brief illness.
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