N. Rajam
{{Short description|Indian musician}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
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{{Infobox person
| name = Dr N. Rajam
| image =
| caption =
| birth_place = Chennai, India
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1938}}
| occupation = violinist
| website = {{URL|nrajam.com}}
| awards = {{plainlist|
- Padma Shri (1984)
- Padma Bhushan (2004)
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1990)
}}
| module = {{Infobox musical artist
| embed = yes
| label =
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| genre = Carnatic
| instrument = violin
}}
}}
N. Rajam (born 8 April 1938) is an Indian violinist who performs Hindustani classical music. She remained professor of music at Banaras Hindu University, eventually became head of the department and the dean of the Faculty of Performing Arts of the university.
She was awarded the 2012 Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, the highest honour in the performing arts conferred by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama.
Early life and training
N. Rajam was born in Chennai in 1938 in a musical family. Her father, Vidwan A. Narayana Iyer was a well-known exponent of Carnatic music.{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenindia.com/old/fullstory.php?content_id=18082|title = Entertainment News: Latest Bollywood & Hollywood News, Today's Entertainment News Headlines}}{{dead link|date=November 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Her brother, T. N. Krishnan, was a prominent violinist of the Carnatic style. Rajam started her initial training in Carnatic music under her father. She also trained under Musiri Subramania Iyer, and learned raga development from vocalist Omkarnath Thakur.
Rajam received the prestigious titles of Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan from the Government of India.
Personal life
N.Rajam is married to T.S.Subramanian, a chartered accountant and a former executive of Life Insurance Corporation of India. Her mother in law Mrs. Padma Swaminathan, social activist and Carnatic music singer, was the last surviving daughter of F. G. Natesa Iyer{{cite news | author= | title =Coimbatore: Fans, family celebrate Padma Swaminathan's hundred and first birthday| quote = featured her famous musician daughter-in-law Dr N Rajam, her daughter Sangeetha Shankar, and her grandchildren Ragini Shankar and Nandini Shankar giving a brilliant violin concert accompanied by Kedar Kharaton on table. That was followed by another world famous musician Vani Jairam, another daughter-in-law, rendering two compositions.| newspaper = Deccan Chronicle| date = 9 December 2017| url =https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/091217/coimbatore-fans-family-celebrate-padma-swaminathans-hundred-and-first-birthday.html}}{{cite web|url=http://srutimag.blogspot.com/2018/05/snapshorts_15.html |title=Padma Swaminathan's 100th birthday|date=15 May 2018 |website=srutimag.blogspot.com |publisher=Sruthi Magazine |access-date= |quote= The two-day celebration of Padma Swaminathan’s 100th birthday on 1 December at Brindavan Hill, Coimbatore was attended by her family including (L to R): Nandini Shankar (great granddaughter), Shankar Devraj (Sangita’s husband), T.S. Jairam (son) and Vani Jairam, Padma Swaminathan, N. Rajam and T.S. Subramanian (son), Sangita Shankar (granddaughter) and Ragini Shankar (great granddaughter). It was followed by a violin concert by N. Rajam (daughter-in-law) with Sangita, Nandini and Ragini accompanied by Kedar Kharaton (tabla). Vocalist Vani Jairam (daughter-in-law) rendered a few compositions.}} Mrs. Vani Jairam, playback singer in South Indian cinema, is her sister in law.
Performing career
Under the guidance of her father, A. Narayana Iyer, Rajam developed the Gayaki Ang (vocal style). Rajam has performed across the globe and in numerous places throughout India.
Rajam was a professor of music at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in the Faculty of Performing Arts for nearly 40 years. She has been the chair of the department and the dean of the college at BHU.
=Students=
She trained her daughter Sangeeta Shankar, her granddaughters Ragini Shankar and Nandini Shankar, her niece Kala Ramnath, Pranav Kumar, Prof. V. Balaji (B.H.U.) and Dr. Satya Prakash Mohanty
Awards
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, 1990{{cite web|title=SNA: List of Akademi Awardees Instrumental (Sarangi)|publisher=Sangeet Natak Akademi|url=http://sangeetnatak.org/sna/awardeeslist-violin.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303172056/http://sangeetnatak.org/sna/awardeeslist-violin.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2016-03-03|access-date=2009-07-06}}
- Padma Shri, 1984{{cite web|title=Padma Awards|publisher=Ministry of Communications and Information Technology|url=http://india.gov.in/myindia/advsearch_awards.php?start=0&award_year=&state=&field=3&p_name=Rajam&award=All|access-date=2009-07-06}}
- Padma Bhushan, 2004
- Puttaraja Sanmaana, 2004{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/05/stories/2004030510470300.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070509050448/http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/05/stories/2004030510470300.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=2007-05-09 | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | title=Briefly | date=2004-03-05}}
- Pune Pandit Award, 2010, by The Art & Music Foundation, Pune, India
- 2012: Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (Akademi Ratna){{cite web |title=Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships and Akademi Awards 2012 |url=http://pib.nic.in/archieve/others/2012/dec/d2012122401.pdf |publisher=Press Information Bureau, Govt. of India |access-date=28 May 2012}}
- 2018: Tana Riri award{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}
Discography
- Violin Dynasty (Raga Bageshri)
- Dr. (Mrs.) N. Rajam (violin recital)
- A Duet On Strings{{cite web| url=https://music.apple.com/tr/artist/n-rajam/587005608|title=Album – A Duet On Strings on Itunes|website=iTunes|location=Mumbai, India}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p182094|label=Dr. N. Rajam}}
{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Art}}
{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 2000–09}}
{{SangeetNatakAkademiFellowship}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rajam, N.}}
Category:Hindustani instrumentalists
Category:Indian women violinists
Category:Hindustani violinists
Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in arts
Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts
Category:Musicians from Chennai
Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Category:Academic staff of Banaras Hindu University
Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship
Category:Indian music educators