India on Music Theory Print

A-Zal

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Atif Afzal, also known by his stage name A-Zal, is an India-born, London-raised, New York–based singer-songwriter and composer. He is known for his music compositions for the American television series Ms. Marvel (miniseries), Loki (TV series), NCIS: Los Angeles and The Twilight Zone and for the films Resort to Love, Prague, Pune 52, Monsoon Shootout, and Baji. Early life and education Atif Afzal was born in Mumbai, India, but grew up in Hounslow, in London, England. He attended Hounslow Heath School. He studied engineering at the K. J. Somaiya College of Engineering and then worked at KPMG before starting a career in music. He trained under an alumnus from the Royal College of Music. Career Afzal is known by his stage name A-Zal. Afzal began his music career in 2013 by composing the film scores and soundtracks of Prague, Pune 52 and Baji. He has also worked on international films, including a German film, Gift, a European film, Then a Hero Comes Along, a New York short film, The Alternative, and Bachelor Girls. He also composed music for the Marathi film Charandas Chor. Afzal’s film albums have been released on major record labels including Universal Music Group, Times Music, Zee

Abhijit Banerjee (composer)

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Abhijit Banerjee (July 24, 1931 – February 21, 2022; ) was an Indian composer and lyricist, who primarily composed music for Bengali non-film songs (singles). He worked with musicians such as Hemanta Mukhopadhyay, Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey, Asha Bhosle, Pratima Bandyopadhyay, Pulak Bandyopadhyay and others. He was a close associate of Salil Chowdhury and a music teacher at Bani Chakra school. Banerjee was born in Kolkata in 1931 and took interest in Rabindra Sangeet. He was brought into music by his friend Prabir Mazumdar and first played xylophone while in class eight. He played near a railway station where meetings were held, and from there got to know Salil Chowdhury. His first composition was when his brother asked him to compose two poems. His second poem was acknowledged by Salil Chowdhury, who took the song to Saregama. It was sung by Shyamal Mitra. He inspired songs by Salil Chowdhury like “Dhitang Dhitang Bole” and “Ranar.” Later, he worked with Pulak Bandyopadhyay and composed film songs with him like “O Pakhi Ure Aay” by Asha Bhosle and “Ekhono Sarengita Bajche” by Haimanti Shukla. He died in 2022 from health issues of old age. Mamata Banerjee, Shukla and others respond

Abhijit Majumdar

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Abhijit Majumdar (11 September 1971 – 25 January 2026) was an Indian film music director and composer in Odia films. Life and career Majumdar was born on 11 September 1971. He started his career from Sambalpuri Industry, later he started working on Ollywood. He has composed more than 700 songs for Odia movies, albums and Sambalpuri industry. Majumdar died from liver disease at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, on 25 January 2026, at the age of 54. Filmography * All films are in Odia, unless otherwise noted. References External links *

Ahmed Ghulam Ali Chagla

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Ahmed Ghulam Ali Chagla (; 31 May 1902 – 5 February 1953) was a Pakistani musical composer who famously composed the music for the national anthem of Pakistan in 1949. Early life Chagla was born into a prominent Khoja Ismaili family in Karachi. His father, Ghulam Ali Chagla, was the third elected president of the municipality of Karachi, serving from 1921 to 1922. Ahmed Chagla attended the Sindh Madrassat-ul-Islam in Karachi and took lessons in classical Indian music in 1910 and western musical composition in 1914. Chagla became interested in the study of the theory of music (both eastern and western). In 1922, he began studying eastern and western systems of music under the famous art critic James Cousins. He was particularly interested in points of contact between the two systems. Chagla undertook several journeys to gain an insight of various eastern systems of music. In 1923, he travelled overland from Karachi to Iraq, via Balochistan and northern Iran (including the Caspian Sea, Teheran, Tabriz and Kermanshah). After touring Iraq, he returned to Karachi by way of Basra. In 1928 he qualified from Trinity College of Music in London. In 1929, Chagla undertook an overland journey

Anirudh Ravichander

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Anirudh Ravichander (born 16 October 1990), also credited mononymously as Anirudh, is an Indian composer and playback singer who works primarily in Tamil cinema, in addition to Telugu and Hindi films. He has won two Filmfare Awards South, ten SIIMA Awards, six Edison Awards and five Vijay awards. His debut song “Why This Kolaveri Di”, composed for the 2012 film 3, went viral across the globe and has achieved over 590 million views on YouTube. A.R. Murugadoss signed him to compose music for Kaththi (2014) starring Vijay & Samantha which included the viral hit “Selfie Pulla”. The soundtrack for the film became Anirudh’s highest profile soundtrack until he was signed to compose music for Rajinikanth’s Petta in 2019. In the same year, he featured with Diplo on the remix of Major Lazer’s hit single “Cold Water”. Personal life Anirudh Ravichander was born in a Tamil family to Indian actor Ravi Raghavendra and classical dancer Lakshmi Ravichander. He also has an elder sister. He is the nephew of Latha Rajinikanth, thus making Aishwarya, Soundarya and Hrishikesh his cousins and Rajinikanth is his uncle. Anirudh’s great-grandfather was the director K. Subramanyam, a filmmaker in the 1930s.

Chandrabose (composer)

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Chandrabose (11 July 1950 – 30 September 2010) was an Indian composer and singer. He composed music for more than 300 films between 1977 and 1995. In 2007 he made his debut on the silver screen as an actor. Personal life Chandrabose’s son, Bose Santhosh, has also worked in films as a composer, working in the Malayalam film Sandwich (2011) and the Tamil films, Meenkothi and Deva Kumaran. He is married twice, since 2007 he started acting in Kalaignar TV serials. Career Chandrabose began his career as child artist in the film Thaayum Magalum, he then started to concentrate on music by composing for stage plays of R. S. Manohar and Prameela drama group. His debut film as composer was Madhura Geetham (1977). During the 1980s, he was the official composer of the AVM Productions, in particular the Tamil movies, some of which starred Rajini Kanth. Filmography Composer ;Films * Madhurageetham (1977) * Mangudi Minor (1978) * Machanai Paatheengala (1978) * Tharayil Vaazhum Meengal (1979) * Saranam Ayyappa (1980) * Vadivangal (1981) * Parvaiyin Marupakkam (1982) * Paasa Madal (1982) * Ithu Engal Rajyam (1984) * Oru Malarin Payanam (1985) * Rajathi Rojakili (1985) * Yemaatrathe Yemaaraathe (198

Deva (composer)

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Devanesan Chokkalingam, more popularly known as Deva, is an Indian composer and singer who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. He has composed songs and provided background music for Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam films in a career closing in on four decades. He has composed music for more than 400 films. Career Born in 1950 in Mylapore, Chennai, Deva grew up in a financially constrained household and did not receive formal musical training in his early years. He developed an interest in music through exposure to public performances and later taught himself the harmonium while working in the Tamil theatre circuit. He was associated with stage musicians such as Kamesh and Rajamani, initially working in a non-musical capacity before becoming a performer. In 1973, he co-founded a musical troupe with composer Chandrabose. After an early, partial involvement in film projects, Deva briefly stepped away from cinema. During this period, Deva worked in Doordarshan Podhigai channel and composed songs for the show Vayalum Vaazhvum. He learned piano under Dhanraj Master—who also taught Illayaraja—and studied Indian classical music on the harmonium under J. B. Krishna. By the 1980s, he

Eric Ozario

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Eric Alexander Ozario (18 May 1949 – 29 August 2025) was an Indian Konkani music composer, cultural activist, trade unionist and the founder of Mandd Sobhann, a leading Konkani cultural organization. He also founded Kalaangann, a Konkani heritage centre. Ozario was instrumental in Konkani being approved as an optional language in school education in the state of Karnataka. He had also been the secretary general of the Jagotik Konknni Songhotton (JKS – Global Konkani Organisation) for many years. Early life Ozario was born in 1949 in Mangalore. He developed an early interest in Konkani music and cultural identity, which later influenced his life’s work. His legacy as a composer and cultural activist began with the foundation of Mandd Sobhann, through which he promoted Konkani music locally and internationally. Career In 2009, Ozario participated in a movement to protest a plan to cut trees in Mangalore. Ozario’s biography, The Indefatigable Crusader was released in 2014. Death Ozario died from kidney disease on 29 August 2025, at the age of 76, in Mangaluru. * Konkani Ratna * 1993 State Rajyotsava Prashasti References Further reading * External links * * Mandd Sobhann – The Birth

Hemanga Biswas

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Hemanga Biswas (; 14 December 1912 – 22 November 1987) was an Indian singer, composer, author and political activist, known for his literature in Bengali and Assamese, advocacy of peoples music, drawing from genres of folk music, including Bhatiali originally popular among the fishermen of Bengal. Early life Biswas was born in a Bengali Hindu family of Habiganj, Sylhet, British India (now in Bangladesh) on 14 December 1912 to Harakumar and Sarojini Biswas. He went to the Middle English School in Habiganj. He studied at the George Institution of Dibrugarh from 1925 to 1927 when Nilmoni Phukan was its headmaster. There he became interested in Assamese culture. He attended Habiganj Government High School in 1930. He also studied in MC College, Sylhet from 1930 to 1931. Biswas embraced the values of communism during his college years and wrote poems and plays on equal rights. During this time he started performing “gana sangeet.” He did not complete his formal education. Biswas became involved in a movement to ensure the rights of tea garden laborers, farmers, and the underprivileged throughout the region. For his political convictions, he was arrested in 1930. He was also associated w

Justin Prabhakaran

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Justin Prabhakaran (born 10 June 1986) is an Indian film score and soundtrack composer. He has scored music mostly for Tamil films and also a few Malayalam and Telugu films besides two Hindi films. He made his debut as a film composer in the 2014 Tamil film Pannaiyarum Padminiyum. Early and personal life Prabhakaran was born in Madurai. From childhood, he was interested in music. He was introduced to church music at an early age and groomed to become a keyboard player. He participated in a TV show and won the award for his own composition. He is proficient in playing keyboard and guitar. During a film shoot at the American College, Madurai in 2003–2006, where he studied B.Sc. Zoology, he happened to meet cinematographer Gopi Krishna, who advised him to study sound engineering from M.G.R. Government Film and Television Training Institute, Tharamani, Chennai. Prabhakaran married Caroline Susannah on 5 October 2022. Career Prabhakaran joined music composer Harris Jayaraj as an assistant sound engineer and worked for him for years. He debuted in film with Pannaiyarum Padminiyum (2014). - Gatta Kusthi Tamil - rowspan=“5” 2023 Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum Malayalam - Raavana Kottam rowspan

Koti (composer)

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Saluri Koteswara Rao, known professionally as Koti, is an Indian composer and singer who predominantly works in Telugu films . He has composed music for over 528 films. The son of veteran composer S. Rajeswara Rao, in early 1980s Koti teamed up with Somaraju (Raj), son of T. V. Raju, and the resulting duo was known as Raj–Koti. Roshan Saluri, son of Koti is also introduced as film score composer and is married to Tejaswini and their daughter is Swasthika Roshan saluri . Another son Rajeev Saluri started his career as an actor. Daughter Bhagyasri Saluri is married to Srinivas Nallapati and is blessed with daughters (Aanya & Diya) Discography ;Telugu * Amma Donga (1995) * Alluda Majaka (1995) * Love Game (1995) * Bhale Bullodu (1995) * Rikshavodu (1995) * Sankalpam (1995) * Aayanaki Iddaru (1995) * Telugu Veera Levara (1995) * Ketu Duplicatu (1995) * Peddarayudu (1995) * Subhamasthu (1995) * Pellaala Rajyam (1996) * Vamsanikokkadu (1996) * Sarada Bullodu (1996) * Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi (1996) * Hello Mogudu Bhale Pellam (1996) * Hello Neeku Naaku Pellanta (1996) * Akka Bagunnava (1996) * Nayudu Gaari Kutumbam (1996) * Soggadi Pellam (1996) * Intlo Illalu Vantintlo Priyuralu (199

Master Abdullah

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Master Abdullah (Punjabi, ), (1930 – 31 January 1994) was a Pakistani film music composer. He is known for his music in movies like “Badla” (1968), “Commander” (1968), “Ziddi” (1973), and “Sheeshay Ka Ghar” (1978). Early life and family He was born Sadiq Ali in 1930 in Lahore. His elder brother Master Inayat Hussain (1923–1993) was a film music composer in the early days of Pakistan film industry and was better known in Pakistan than Master Abdullah himself. Career Master Abdullah began his film career in 1962 with the Urdu film Suraj Mukhi (1962). Major Films of Master Abdullah * Malangi (1965) References

Mohammed Zahur Khayyam

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Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi (18 February 1927 – 19 August 2019), better known mononymously as Khayyam, was an Indian music director and background score composer whose career spanned four decades. He won three Filmfare Awards: for Best Music in 1977 for Kabhi Kabhie and 1982 for Umrao Jaan, and a lifetime achievement award in 2010. He was awarded the 2007 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in Creative Music, by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India’s National Academy of Music, Dance and Theatre. He was awarded the third-highest civilian honour, Padma Bhushan, by the Government of India in 2011. Early life Khayyam was born to a Punjabi Muslim family on 18 February 1927 in Rahon in Punjab, British India. As a boy, Khayyam ran away to his uncle’s house in New Delhi. There he was trained under classical vocalist and composer Pandit Amarnath. Career Khayyam went to Lahore looking for roles in films. There he met Baba Chishti, a famous Punjabi music director. After listening to a composition by Chishti, he sang to him its first part. Impressed, Chishti gave him an offer of joining him as an assistant. Khayyam assisted Chishti for six months and came to Ludhiana in 1943. He was only 17 then. He gai

Nevel Gracias

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Nevel Lourdes Sacramento Gracias (11 February 1964 – 13 May 2022) was an Indian Catholic priest, playwright, actor, singer, composer, director, and literary editor who primarily worked on the Konkani stage, best known for his lenten tiatrs. He was regarded as a one-man show and served in the general council of the Tiatr Academy of Goa. Career Priesthood Gracias was described as a diligent altar server who aspired to be a priest. He joined at Rachol Seminary in June 1984. Through his years at the seminary his love for tiatrs and volleyball persisted. He was ordained as a priest on 30 April 1991 at St Francis Xavier’s Church in Velim by then, Archbishop Emeritus Raul Nicolau Gonçalves. He served as an assistant to parish priest at the parishes of Taleigao and Piedade in Divar. In 2006, Gracias was appointed as the parish priest of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Utorda but within a year, he was summoned back due to his health issues. In 2007, he was promoted to Assistant director of Lar de Santa Terezinha, two years later in 2009 he was appointed as an Assistant director of the Diocesan Catechetical Center and then later as a Director of Lay apostolate, where he was an editor for religio

Nisar Bazmi

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Nisar Bazmi (1 December 1924 – 22 March 2007) was a composer and music director of Indian and Pakistan film industry. Nisar Bazmi was known as one of the accomplished musicians of South Asia. He also introduced new singers like Alamgir and Mehnaz Begum. The duo of composers Laxmikant–Pyarelal were musicians with Bazmi in India before the partition. Bazmi is primarily remembered for his compositions in the voice of playback singer Ahmed Rushdi. Music and popular film songs of Nisar Bazmi class=“wikitable” - !Film Song !!Singers !!Song Lyrics By !!Film and year - ““Mohabbat Mei Tere Sar Ki Qasam” Ahmed Rushdi, Noor Jehan Masroor Anwar film Aisa Bhi Hota Hai (1965) - “Ho Tamanna Aur Kya Jaan-E-Tamanna Aap Hain” Nayyara Noor Masroor Anwar film Aas (1973) Death and legacy Nisar Bazmi died on 22 March 2007 in Karachi and was buried the next day near his residence in North Karachi. A major Pakistani English-language newspaper commented after his death, “In the death of Nisar Bazmi, students of music in Pakistan have lost an opportunity to benefit from the experience of a virtuoso who scored 140 films in all.” “Nisar Bazmi was a thorough professional and a man of rare imagination. He used

Nobin Paul

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Nobin Paul is an Indian film music composer who primarily works in Kannada film industry. Early Life Paul was born in Kottayam, Kerala. His family shifted to Bengaluru, Karnataka after his schooling. Prior to entering the film industry, he composed advertising jingles. Filmography Awards References External links *

Noel Sean

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Noel Sean (born 28 November 1982) is an Indian rapper and actor working in the Telugu cinema and Telugu music. An actor, music producer, television host, Radio Jockey, lyricist and composer. In 2020, he participated in a Telugu reality TV show Bigg Boss 4 as contestant. Early and personal life Noel was born on 28 November 1982 in Hyderabad to Samuel and Sarah. He has three siblings. Noel went on to pursue the Bachelor of Fine arts in SVCFA and became a web designer successfully. He worked for Cognizant as a trainee until he joined the film industry. Noel married Indian actress Ester Noronha in January 2019 after being engaged for a year. On 31 October 2020, they made it public on social media that they had been officially divorced after being separated for a year. In 2020 Sean participated in the Telugu reality TV show Bigg Boss 4 hosted by Nagarjuna. Music Noel has produced several independent songs and released them on his official YouTube channel. He collaborated with lyricist Ananta Sriram and singers Ramya Behara. Filmography Television Discography Film songs *Vikramarkudu - 2006 *Chandamama - 2007 *Mantra - 2007 *Victory - 2008 *Andamaina Manasulo - 2008 *Vishaka Express - 20

P.V.R. Raja

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Penumatsa Venkata Ramaraju (born 1 June 1985), known professionally as PVR Raja, He initially composed music for over 250 Short films and Independent films. Raja has composed music for the films Vitamin She (2020), Black (2022) and Madhi (2022). He won the Andhra Pradesh state award in the guitar category at the 2011 National Youth Festival (India). Raja entered the India Book of Records for composing the most number of short Telugu films. Early life PVR Raja was born as Penumatsa Venkata Ramaraju on 1 June 1985 to Penumatsa Chandra Sekhar Raju and Penumatsa Satyavathi in Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh. His father Chandra Sekhar Raju worked as the Police Head Constable and Raja’s elder sister is Dhanalakshmi, younger sister is Sridevi and younger brother is Manikanta Raju. Raja worked as a music teacher in Hyderabad Hindu Public School, Shraddha Centre For Special Education, Shalom Music School, Symphony Academy of Music and St. Alphonsa’s High School. Raja composed music for the movie Atma Rama Ananda Ramana produced by Annapurna College of Film and Media and streaming on aha. He has predominantly composed music over 250 digital short films and Independent films from 2013 to present

Param Vir

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Param Vir is a British composer, originally from India. Born in Delhi into a family life permeated with Indian classical music, Param Vir’s strong interest in music developed as a teenager when attending a Roman Catholic secondary school and had informal lessons from composer Hans-Joachim Koellreutter, then resident in India. With no prospects as a composer in India, he read history and philosophy at Delhi University, but returned to music on graduation in 1974 as a teacher. Career * 1983 – attended Dartington International Summer School on a scholarship. * 1984 – moved to London to study with Oliver Knussen. * 1987 – awarded Benjamin Britten Composition Prize. * 1993 – Pierre Audi production of Broken Strings wins Ernst von Siemens Music Prize for young composers (Munich). * 2003 – first full production of ION tours Europe. * 2005 – Horse Tooth White Rock performed at the BBC Proms. * 2005 – Hayagriva commissioned and premiered by the Schoenberg Ensemble in Amsterdam * 2006 – Between Earth and Sky, inspired by Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate, premiered by the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London * 2008 – He Begins His Great Trance for the BBC Singers; Black Feather Rising for Stichting Octo

Poornachandra Tejaswi (composer)

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Poornachandra Tejaswi is an Indian film composer, lyricist and playback singer who primarily works in Kannada Film Industry. His film debut was made in Pawan Kumar’s directed Lucia, where he wrote the film’s background score, lyrics and songs. Personal life Poornachandra Tejaswi was born (6 October, 1982) into a family where both parents were teachers. He hails from the historical town of Srirangapatna in Mandya District, Karnataka. Tejaswi completed his bachelor’s degree in Engineering from NIE College, Mysore and worked as a software engineer in Mysore for a few years. He belongs to a group of artists in the Kannada Film Industry who have a theatre background. He was part of the Rock band Stone Age and is an active member of the theatre group The Niranthara foundation. Film career Tejaswi began his film career through the critically acclaimed film Lucia (2013). He received a series of nominations and awards including prestigious Karnataka State Award (2014) following soon after. Discography Awards * Karnataka State Award 2014 - For Best music director for Lucia * Filmfare Award (2014) - Best Male Playback Singer for Lucia * Mirchi award (2014) - Upcoming Music Composer for Lucia

Prakash Alex

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Prakash Alex is an Indian composer and singer who primarily works in South Indian films. Early life Prakash Alex was born to Reverend K. P. Alexander and Leelamma, a school teacher, in Pathanamthitta, India. He has an older brother, Prasanth Alexander, an actor in the Malayalam film industry, and two older sisters, Priya and Preethy. Alex started learning piano at the age of 5, with his sister Preethy as his instructor. He was part of the choir team in his church. He has collaborated with musicians such as Poly Varghese, Stephen Devassy, Bijibal, Deepak Dev, and Mejo Joseph. He produced the song “Nenchodu Cherthu (Yuvvh).” His films include Kalyanam (2018), and Qalb (2024). “Monjathi” from Qalb, Personal life Prakash is married to Renu. He composed their wedding video song. The couple resides in Ernakulam. References

Priti Paintal

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Priti Paintal (born 1960) is a British composer, performer, music producer and promoter who lives and works in England. Life Paintal was born in New Delhi, India, the daughter of the distinguished Indian scientist Autar Singh Paintal. She trained in both Indian and Western music and studied sitar and tabla as a child and piano and composition in India. Paintal received a master’s degree in ethnomusicology before moving to England to study composition at York University and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester with Anthony Gilbert. She founded the ensemble ShivaNova in 1988 to unite diverse musical traditions into a global sound. The ensemble collaborates with artists including storytellers, jugglers, dancers and orchestras, and provides workshops in schools and communities. A mainstream dance music spin-off of the group, SugarNova, had its debut single “Over and Over” reach the top 20 of the Music Week Club charts. Her music brings together traditional, classical and jazz performers in a unique mix of Indian roots and contemporary flair. In addition to her group pieces she wrote the mini-opera Survival Song for the Royal Opera House Garden Venture contemporary opera pr

Puttaparthi Narayanacharyulu

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Puttaparthi Narayanacharyulu (28 March 1914 – 1 September 1990) was a classical poet, literary critic, composer, musicologist, translator and polyglot. Life sketch Narayanacharyulu was born in a Sri Vaishnava Brahmin family in Chiyyedu Village in Penukonda taluq of Anantapur district. His father Sriman Puttaparthi Thirumala Sreenivasacharya was a Pandit and commentator of his times and the child Puttaparthi used to accompany him during his Purana Pravachanams. Puttaparthi’s mother Kondamma (Mendamma) also was a poet and scholar in music and both the parents influenced Puttaparthi in his childhood. He studied Sanskrit literature up to Siromani at Tirupati Sanskrit College. He learned grammar, meter, figures of speech from the likes of Kapilasthalam Krishnamacharyulu and D.T. Tatacharyulu. He learned Bharatanatyam under the guidance of dancer Ranjakam Mahalakshmamma. He learned classical Carnatic music from Pakka Hanumanthacharyulu. He learned English literature from Mrs. Pitt, wife of a deceased Sub collector of Penugonda (Ananthapur-A.P) at the age of 14. He practiced Pakrit languages from his paternal uncle Sriman Rallapalli Anantha Krishna Sarma. After that Puttaparthi studied ma

Rabindranath Tagore

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Rabindranath Tagore (; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941), was a Bengali poet, author, playwright, musician, composer, philosopher, social reformer, painter, and one of the foremost figures of the Bengal Renaissance. In 1913, Tagore became the first Asian to win a Nobel Prize in any category, and also the first lyricist and non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. A significant moulder of culture within Bengal and the Indian subcontinent, he wrote and composed the national anthems of India and Bangladesh. He reshaped Bengali literature and music as well as Indian art with Contextual Modernism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was the author of the “profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful” poetry of Gitanjali. Tagore’s poetic songs were viewed as spiritual and mercurial; his elegant prose and magical poetry were widely popular in the Indian subcontinent. He was a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society. Referred to as “the Bard of Bengal”, At the age of sixteen, he released his first substantial poems under the pseudonym Bhānusiṃha (“Sun Lion”), which were seized upon by literary authorities as long-lost classics. By 1877 he graduated to his first short stories and dram

Rafeeq Saudagar

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Rafeeq Saudagar (Urdu: رفیق سوداگر, born 28 March 1971) is an Indian Urdu poet and doctor. He is the President of the Anjuman Muhibban-e-Urdu (Yadgir Unit). He was awarded the “Achievers Award” by the Karnataka Urdu Academy and the Karnataka Centre Muslim Association in Raichur on 23 June 2019. Early life Saudagar was born to Abdul Razak Saudagar and Hafeeza Begum on 28 March 1971 in Kadechur, Yadgir district, Karnataka. He is a doctor He began writing poetry at the age of 18 but published his first book in 2004. He is also a supporter of the Urdu language and the Urdu-speaking people of India. Personal life Saudagar married Kahkashan Saudagar in 2004. The couple has three sons and lives in Millat Nagar, Yadgir city, Karnataka. * President - Anjuman Muhibban-e-Urdu (Yadgir Unit) - 2012–Present. Bibliography * Safar Kahkashan Ka. * Yaad e Maazi. References External links * Dr Rafeeq Saudagar - WikiMedia. *Rafeeq Saudagar official Facebook page

Rambhadracharya

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Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Swami Rambhadracharya (born Giridhar Mishra on 14 January 1950) and has held this title since 1988. Rambhadracharya is the founder and head of Tulsi Peeth, a religious and social service institution in Chitrakoot named after Tulsidas. Rambhadracharya can speak 22 languages and is a spontaneous poet and writer in Bhojpuri, Sanskrit, Hindi, and several other languages. He has authored more than 240 books and 50 papers, including four epic poems, Hindi commentaries on Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas and Hanuman Chalisa, a Sanskrit commentary in verse on the Ashtadhyayi, and Sanskrit commentaries on the Prasthanatrayi scriptures. He is acknowledged for his knowledge in diverse fields including Sanskrit grammar, Nyaya and Vedanta. He is a Katha artist for the Ramayana and the Bhagavata. His Katha programmes are held regularly in different cities in India and other countries, and are telecast on television channels like Shubh TV, Sanskar TV and Sanatan TV. He was born on Makara Sankranti day, 14 January 1950. He was named Giridhar by his great-aunt, a paternal cousin of his paternal grandfather, Suryabali Mishra. The great-aunt was a devotee of Mirabai, a female saint

Ravi (composer)

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Ravi Shankar Sharma (3 March 1926 – 7 March 2012), often referred mononymously as Ravi, was an Indian music director who had composed music for several Hindi and Malayalam films. After a successful career in Hindi cinema, he took a hiatus in the 1970s and made a successful comeback in 1982 in the Malayalam music scene under the stage name Bombay Ravi. Biography Ravi was born in Delhi on 3 March 1926. He had no formal training in classical music; instead he learned music by listening to his father sing bhajans. In 1947 he went meet the famous singer Mohammed Rafi who was singing at the independence day celebration event ‘Jashn e Jamhooriat’ at the Coronation Hotel, Fatehpur, Delhi. He told Rafi that he wanted to be music director. According to Ravi, Mohammed Rafi advised him to first learn music and notation. He taught himself to play harmonium and other classical instruments and worked as an electrician at the Post and Telegraph, Delhi, Ravi composed several hit songs and received Filmfare nominations for the following films: Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960), Do Badan (1966), Hamraaz (1967), Ankhen (1968), and Nikaah (1982). He won Filmfare awards for Gharana (1961) and Khandan (1965). Th

Ravi Shankar

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Pandit Ravi Shankar (; born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, sometimes spelled as Ravindra Shankar Chowdhury; and influenced many musicians in India and throughout the world. Shankar was awarded India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1999. He is also the father of American singer Norah Jones and British-American musician and sitar player Anoushka Shankar. Shankar was born to a Bengali family in India, and spent his youth as a dancer touring India and Europe with the dance group of his brother Uday Shankar. At age 18, he gave up dancing to pursue a career in music, studying the sitar for seven years under court musician Allauddin Khan. After finishing his studies in 1944, Shankar worked as a composer, creating the music for the Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray, and was music director of All India Radio, New Delhi, from 1949 to 1956. In 1956, Shankar began to tour Europe and America, playing Indian classical music. He increased its popularity there in the 1960s through teaching, performance, and his association with violinist Yehudi Menuhin and Beatles guitarist George Harrison. His influence on Harrison helped popularize the use of Indian instruments in Western pop music in th

Robert Elmore

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Robert Hall Elmore (January 2, 1913 – September 22, 1985) was an American composer, organist, pianist who was active in Philadelphia during the mid 20th century and who wrote some organ pieces that are included in recitals today. Early life Robert Elmore was born on January 2, 1913, in Ramapuram, Chennai, India where his parents were missionaries. The family relocated to Lincoln, Nebraska in 1918 where Elmore began studying piano at age six and organ at age nine. His first composition was written at age 11. In 1925, the family relocated once again to Wayne, Pennsylvania where Elmore was to live at 130 Walnut Avenue until his death in 1985. Shortly thereafter he began study with famed organist and composer Pietro Yon who was then organist and music director at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York. Yon was sufficiently impressed with Elmore’s abilities to have referred to him as “the foremost American organist of the day”. Professional assignments While still in his teens Elmore was appointed organist at the Central Baptist Church, Wayne, Pennsylvania (1925–1933). He also performed as a theatre organist at the Lincoln, Bryn Mawr Seville and Anthony Wayne theaters. From 1938 to 1955 he w

S. M. Subbaiah Naidu

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Subburayulu Munuswami Subbaiah Naidu (a.k.a. SMS) (15 March 1914 – 26 May 1979) was an Indian composer, conductor, and orchestrator. He was one of the oldest music directors. He worked as an in-house music composer for Central Studios and Pakshiraja Studios and well associated with S. M. Sriramulu Naidu. SMS also worked with many films under Jupiter Pictures banner and a favorite of M. G. Ramachandran. Early life He was born on 15 March 1914 into a Balija family in Kadayanallur (now a Municipality in Tenkasi district, Tamil Nadu). Having had an unhappy childhood, he ran away from home with dreams of finding his fortune in Singapore, but ended up working in drama troupes such as those of Jagannatha Aiyer and Nawab Rajamanickam Pillai. Finding himself drawn more to music than acting, SMS learned music from masters such as Rajagopala Iyengar and Subramaniya Bagavathar. When the company’s play Baktha Ramadas was made into a movie, SMS worked on the music for the movie as well. Career life He is fondly known as “Sangeethayya” in the south Indian film industries. He somehow had never changed his trend of composing much from the beginning days. He is well versed in the Indian music but ne

Saahil Prem

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Saahil Prem (born 23 August) is an Indian Bollywood actor, director, writer, DJ and composer. He is known for playing the lead opposite Sunny Leone in the film Ragini MMS 2 (2014) and directing, writing and acting in one of India’s first dance films Mad About Dance (2014). Early life and education Born in Chembur, a suburb in central Mumbai, Saahil went to St. Peter’s School, a boarding school in Panchgani. He then attended Sheffield Hallam University in South Yorkshire, England. He became the resident DJ for his university. Career He moved to London where he took up residency at Mangos, one of the best Asian clubs in London. After playing at clubs and events across Europe, Saahil moved to Mumbai and did a three-month acting course at Actor Prepares. He then joined the film director Vipul Shah as his assistant for the romance film Namastey London (2007). He decided to start writing his dance film Mad About Dance, which he also directed and acted in as the male lead opposite Amrit Maghera. He also played the lead opposite Sunny Leone in Ragini MMS 2 (2014) from Balaji Motion Pictures. Saahil released his first single, a progressive track called “The Tour” on iTunes and other digital

Siddharth Haldipur

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Siddharth Haldipur is an Indian singer and music director. He is a part of the Sangeet-Siddharth music director duo. The duo has given music for prominent Hindi as well as Marathi movies. In their few years of music direction, the duo has composed hit songs for Murder 2, Blood Money, Aatma, Fruit & Nut, Bird Idol and Hum Hai Raahi Car Ke. Siddharth Haldipur made his foray into music with A Band of Boys and is also a trained violinist, pianist, and dancer. He and Sangeet Haldipur are the sons of the famous composer Amar Haldipur, who has also been India’s number one violinist in the past. Career Haldipur started his singing with his first album Yeh Bhi Woh Bhi in 2002 in collaboration with his newly boy band member A Band of Boys. Then, in 2005, his second album Gaane Bhi Do Yaaro was released which marked ABOB’s final album before their disbanded in 2006. In 2009, apart from singing, he also begin to composed with his brother Sangeet Haldipur for their first film Fruit and Nut. Then, they rose to prominence with their top-of-the-line composition “Aa Zara Kareeb Se”, from the movie Murder 2, for which they won the Big Star Young Entertainer Award for Best Music Composer in 2012. Thi

Suchendra Prasad

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

K. Suchendra Prasad (born 1 May 1972) is an Indian actor, director, and playwright known for his work in Kannada cinema, television, and theatre. He began his career in the 1990s. Over the years, he has worked across film, television, and stage, and has been involved in productions that have received national recognition. Early life and education Suchendra Prasad was born in Bengaluru, Karnataka, and has ancestral roots in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree and a Master of Arts (MA). He has been associated with the National School of Drama (NSD), where he worked as a tutor and later contributed to the Regional Resource Centre in Karnataka, focusing on stagecraft and folk traditions. Career Suchendra Prasad has appeared in Kannada cinema and television, including his role in Kanooru Heggadithi (1999), a film that received national recognition. He has also worked in a large number of television productions and has collaborated on various commercial and parallel cinema projects. His directorial projects include: Prapaatha (2010), Sangdhigdha, Ekacharam (2022), Maavu Bevu (2023), and Padmagandhi (2025). He has been associated with cultural and literary org

Sushin Shyam

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Sushin Shyam is an Indian music composer, instrumentalist, and singer primarily associated with Malayalam cinema. He is also a founding member of the folk metal band The Down Troddence. He is known for his contributions to the films Varathan (2018), Kumbalangi Nights (2019), Minnal Murali (2021), Bheeshma Parvam (2022), Romancham (2023), Kannur Squad (2023), Manjummel Boys (2024) and Aavesham (2024). His work on Kumbalangi Nights earned him the Kerala State Film Award for Best Music Director in 2019. In 2025 July 4th, he made his debut as an independent music artist with the music video Ray. He is a two-time winner of Kerala State Film Award for Best Music Director, for Kumbalangi Nights in 2019 and Bougainvillea in 2024. Early life Sushin Shyam was born at Thalasserry in Kannur district of Kerala to Shyam Prakash and Kalavathi. He studied at St. Joseph’s School and Mambaram School in Thalassery. Under his father’s guidance, a musician himself, Sushin learned to play the keyboard from an early age, including performing on stage at the age of 3. He relocated to Chennai in pursuit of new prospects within the music industry. He honed his skills during a two-year stint working with the

Thaman S

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ghantasala Sai Srinivas (born 16 November 1983), professionally credited as Thaman S, is an Indian composer and playback singer known for his works majorly in Telugu and Tamil cinema. He is the recipient of the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for his work in the 2020 musical hit Ala Vaikuntapuramulo. His breakout film as a music director was Kick (2009). His notable compositions include films such as Eeram (2009), Brindavanam (2010), Mirapakay (2011), Osthe (2011), Dookudu (2011), Businessman (2012), Naayak (2013), Baadshah (2013), Greeku Veerudu (2013), Ramayya Vasthavayya (2013), Race Gurram (2014), Aagadu (2014), Bruce Lee: The Fighter (2015), Sarrainodu (2016), Tholi Prema (2018), Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020), Akhanda (2021), Sarkaru Vaari Paata (2022), Varisu (2023), and Daaku Maharaaj (2025). Thaman has been the judge in the reality singing show Telugu Indian Idol. He is known for his frequent collaborations with Ravi Teja, Surender Reddy, Sreenu Vaitla, Trivikram Srinivas, and Boyapati Srinu., Pawan Kalyan, Mahesh Babu Early life Thaman was born as Ghantasala Sai Srinivas in a Telugu family of musicians in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh and grew up in Chennai. He is

Veena Kuppayyar

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Veena Kuppayyar (1798–1860) was an exponent of Veena and a composer of Carnatic music. He was a student of the famous composer Tyagaraja. Kuppayar composed his songs in Telugu language and has left behind a number of popular kritis. Early life Veena Kuppayya was born in a Tamil Brahmin family in Tiruvottiyur, near Chennai. His father Sambamoorti Sastri was a famous vocalist as well as a veena player. Kuppayyar had his initial training from his father. Later he continued his musical training under Tyagaraja and learnt the art of music composition from him. Following the steps of his guru, Kuppaiyer has composed two groups of Pancharathnams – Kālahasti Pancharathna kritis and Vénkatésha Pancharathna kritis. The Panchrathna kritis are in Telugu and bears his nom de plume “Gópāla-dāsa” – his family deity, Sri Venugopala Swamy. These Panchrathna kritis also have been bedecked with beautiful Chittaswarams - solfa passages. Kuppayyar later moved to Chennai and sought the patronage of the local ruler Kovur Sundara Mudaliar. Kuppayyar trained a lot of disciples, who carried forward the legacy of Tyagaraja, helping to spread his krithis. Veena Kuppayar was a talented veena player. He also le

Vikram Singh (composer)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Vikram Singh (born 23 April 1983) is an Indian producer, director and composer. He works upon singles, films, TV commercials and radio jingles. He is the brother of Gajendra Verma, singer of the viral song “Emptiness – Tune Mere Jaana” and other famous singles like “Ik Kahani”, “Anjaam”, “Mera Jahan,” and the most famous 2018 hit, “Tera Ghata”. Early life Vikram Singh Verma was born in Sirsa, Haryana, India, to Dr. Surender Verma, a poet, writer, teacher and theater personality, and Chand Verma. Vikram’s love for music and his father’s able guidance worked wonders and at the age of three began his homeschooling for music. While still in school he started his vocal training under his guru Prof. Bakshi. By the age of 15, he had completed his Visharad in music and started composing for school and college plays as well. He also performed at several state-level college competitions and won numerous awards for Best Harmonium Player, Best Vocalist, Best Keyboardist, by Kurukshetra University, Haryana. After completing his graduation, along with his family he moved to Jaipur where he finished his master’s degree in music from University of Rajasthan and did initial grades from Trinity Coll

Vivek Kar

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Vivek Kar is an Indian bollywood film music director score composer and producer. Career Working as a music composer, Kar made his debut as a film composer in Bollywood in the film Zindagi 50-50 where he composed four original songs. Kar composed the songs for the film Meeruthiya Gangsters in 2015, One Night Stand in 2016, Gun & Goal in 2015, Care of Footpath 2 in 2015, Saansein , Direct Ishq in 2016. The movie Care of Footpath 2, in which Vivek Kar was a music director, was a lateral entry to Oscars as well. Films as Music Composer Songs References External links * * Vivek Kar at Apple Music

Yuvan Shankar Raja

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Yuvan Shankar Raja (born 31 August 1979), known officially as Abdul Khaliq, He mainly scores music for Tamil films along with few Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi films. Considered a versatile composer, he is particularly known for his use of Western music elements and often credited with having introduced hip hop to the Tamil film and music industry and started the “era of remixes” in Tamil Nadu which included mixed EDM and jazz. He is frequently referred to as the “BGM King” of Tamil film music. Yuvan has won two Filmfare Awards South, five Mirchi Music Awards South, three Vijay Awards and two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards. Within a span of 25 years, Yuvan has worked on over 190 films. Being the youngest son of composer Ilaiyaraaja, he began his musical career in 1996, at the age of 17, when he composed the film score for Aravindhan. He got his breakthrough with the soundtracks for the films Dheena (2001) and Thulluvadho Ilamai (2002) soundtrack, becoming one of Tamil cinema’s most sought-after composers by the mid-2000s. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director – Tamil in 2004 for his score in the drama 7G Rainbow Colony. In 2006, he became the only Indian composer to win the