Prince of Music: A Biography of GN Balasubramaniam

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About the Author

Ramachandran Mahadevan, who writes under the nom-de- plume Lalitharam - mainly in Tamil - is a mechanical engineer by profession, with considerable experience in the renewable energy sector.

Lalitharam writes on subjects relating to classical music as well as Indian history and art. He has several articles to his credit, published in Tamil periodicals and e-zines over the years.

Some of Lalitharam's best known works include the critically acclaimed biographies of legendary musicians Gpri.N. Balasubramaniam (translated here by V Ramnarayan) and PalaniSubramania Pillai. He has also made documentary films on these two musicians as well as vocalist and painter S. Rajam.

In 2013, Lalitharam spearheaded an initiative to document south India's vanishing Saivite temple nagaswara tradition. He directed the documentary which was produced as a DVD titled 'NadamumNadanum.

He is also founder trustee of the Parivadini Charitable Trust, which focuses on bringing unsung heroes and emerging talent in Carnatic music to the limelight. Through the Parlandu Award of Excellence, Parivadini also honours a musical instrument maker every year.

Foreword

Prince of Music is the delightful outcome of a joint venture of Ram and Ram. One Ram (Lalitharam) created it in Tamil and the other Ram (Ramnarayan) has transcreated it in English. It is difficult to tell them apart as the translated version is as good as the book is in the parent language.

We live in an era when we strongly believe that there can be superstars only in the celluloid world or perhaps, cricket. And the aim of this extremely well-written book is to show that there was a superstar in the field of classical Carnatic music, during the middle half of the last century.. His music reached not only the elite but also the common man, and he was so well-known by his three-lettered name GNB like MGR the film star. It is, perhaps, a coincidence that GNB also acted in the movies in the early part of his career. Fortunately for him and to the immense delight of music lovers GNB gave up acting, opting for a musical career..

I finished reading the book at one go, so absorbing was it. Even at the level of my musical knowledge, which is not saying much, the complex intricacies of classical music, so effortlessly conveyed by GNB, are explained with such amazing clarity that I could follow it with no difficulty.

**Contents and Sample Pages**