CHENNAI: As the great Tamil poet Subramanya Bharathi had coined 'Sundara Telugu' or 'beautiful Telugu,' so was the evening of The Ghantasala Puraskar Awards 2011. It took the lovers of Telugu songs and Ghantasala compositions into sweet nostalgia.
The event took place at Rama Rao Kala Mandap, housed in the Karnataka Sangha School. Organised by Sharan Corporation in association with Siva Foundation, this was the eighth year of the awards function. Named after Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao, the popular singer and composer of Telugu films and Padmashree award winner, it is a platform to honour living legends and upcoming talents in the Telugu music field. The recipient of the Ghantasala Puraskar Award - 2011 was conferred on JV Raghavulu, a living legend of Telugu cinema who started off his film career as an assistant to Ghantasala and was a Manasa Putrudu (like a son) to Ghantasala.
The Ghantasala Puraskar - Lifetime Achievement Award was conferred Bapu, a veteran director in Telugu cinema and Mullapudi Venkata Ramana, noted writer. The Ghantasala Puraskar - Young Talent Achievement Award was conferred on singers and couple Mallikaarjun and Gopika Poornima. Mallikaarjun’s talent came to limelight through a program Paadutha Theeyaga on ETV conducted by SP Balasubramaniam.
Noted music maestros Dr S P Balasubramaniam and M.M. Keeravani (a National award music composer) presided as chief guests. Music legends PB Srinivas and Vani Jayaram also presided the occasion. There was a Telugu music extravanganza titled Ghantasala Gaana Vibhaavari conducted by G Anand along with Swara Maadhuri, the orchestra.
Singers who had come down from Hyderabad - Chandra Teja, Kowsik Kalyan, Srinidhi, Sameera sang Ghantasala compositions - some of which were composed by him and some of those which were also sung by him. Compeering was by Peraala Balamurali Krishna, from Warangal. Mallikaarjun and Gopika Poornima also sang a couple of compositions.