Sangeethartna Mysore T. Chowdaiah

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I was invited by the College of Fine Arts, Mysore University, to speak about Sangeetharatna T. Chowdiah in the 'Nada Namana' programme on 1-12-2005. After my speech, Dr. Sashidhara Prasad, Vice-Chancellor of Mysore University, while delivering his presidential address, desired that I must write a book on Late T. Chowdiah and the University of Mysore would undertake to publish it. Sri Sri Ganapathi Sachidananda Swamiji of Avadhoota Datta Peetha, who inaugurated the function, echoed the view expressed by the vice-chancellor. Accordingly, I have written this book on Chowdiah, with whom I had nearly three decades of personal association.
I sincerely thank the Vice-Chancellor of Mysore University, Dr. Sashidhara Prasad but for whose keen interest this book would not have been written by me.
I also thank the former Director Sri Lakshminarayana Arora, the present Director Prof. R. V. S. Sundaram Deputy Director Sri B.V. Sridhar of Prasaranga and the staff of University Printing Press, for neatly printing and publishing this book.
My thanks are due to Prof. G. T. Narayana Rao for studying my script and Dr. Padmaji for his involvement in the publication.

"The prosperity of a country depends, not on the abundance of its revenues, nor on the strength of its fortifications, nor on the beauty of its public buildings, but it consists in the number of its cultivated citizens, in its men of education, enlightenment, and character; here are to be found its true interest, its chief strength, its real power.
These are the words of wisdom by Martin Luther (1483-1546), the German Reformation Leader. Among the 'cultivated citizens' of Mysore who have brought name and fame to the country we count our dear Sangeetha Ratna Mysore T. Chowdiah (1894-1967), the wizard of the seven -stringed violin.
He was an eminent artiste, a music composer and teacher, a true cultural ambassador of the nation, and a dreamer too. If you seek a physical monument for this great visionary, look around especially in South India where he reigned as the supreme monarch of the world of music. The University College of Fine Arts in Mysore is one such living monument for this maestro.
The college celebrated the Chowdiah Memorial Day on December 1, 2005. On that occasion Mr. K. Srikantiah the well-known patron of art and a life-long friend of Mr. Chowdiah delivered a very illuminating talk on the life and work of the great artiste. At my request Mr. Srikantiah has spelt out his speech in detail and given the script to the University for publication.