Sanjay Subrahmanyan is among the 13 Sangita Kalanidhis, who have won the coveted award under the age of 50. The Music Academy Sabha, which was established in 1928, began its annual music conferences in 1929. “ On January 1, 1943 everyone who had till then presided got the title of Sangita Kalanidhi” explains historian V. Sriram.
In 1933, K. Ponniah Pillai (44) presided over the conference. In 1938, 48-year-old Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, in 1939, Musiri Subramania Iyer (39) and in 1941, Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu (48) presided.
“In 1945, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer was to be given the title, but he said his guru Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer should be given the award first. And so, the 49-year-old guru was awarded. Semmangudi was given the title in 1948 at the age of 38,” Mr. Sriram adds.
In 1948, fiddle vidwan Kumbakonam Rajamanikam Pillai (49) won. In, 1958, G. N. Balasubramaniam (48), in 1959, Madurai Mani Iyer (47) in 1964, A. Sivasubramania Iyer (48), in 1977, M. L. Vasanthakumari (49) and in 1978, M. Balamuralikrishna (48) got the award.
