Art and culture have always been the soul of society. Music and dance, in particular, serve as powerful forms of expression, preserving the essence of our heritage while constantly evolving. Every year, the Music Academy of Madras honours the finest artistes who have dedicated their lives to these traditions, shaping the cultural landscape of the country. The 2025 awards, announced on Sunday, recognise unique talent in Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam.
This year’s Sangita Kalanidhi, the highest honour in Carnatic music, has been conferred upon RK Shriramkumar, a violinist whose artistry has graced the stage for decades. Hailing from the Rudrapatnam lineage, Shriramkumar was trained under his grandfather, RK Venkatarama Sastry, and later by Sangita Kalanidhi DK Jayaraman. His understanding of the Sangita Sampradaya Pradarsini has cemented his reputation as an authority on Muthuswami Dikshitar’s compositions. His ability to accompany legendary musicians such as Semmangudi R Srinivasa Iyer and MS Subbulakshmi, alongside his dedication to training future generations, makes him a fitting choice for this award — especially in the year marking Muthuswami Dikshitar’s 250th birth anniversary. “It is an overwhelming feeling and a feeling of great honour to be chosen to receive this prestigious award. It is a great blessing for me to receive the award in the 250th birth anniversary year of Sri Muttusvami Dikshitar. It is all due to the blessings of all my Gurus who have moulded me and guided me in my musical path,” he says.
The Sangita Kala Acharya award, given to distinguished gurus, honours Shyamala, Venkateswaran, a vocalist recognised early by the Music Academy, and Thanjavur R Govindarajan, one of the senior-most Tavil artistes, who has shaped the Nagaswaram-Tavil tradition for over 60 years.
The TTK Award has been bestowed upon Madambi Subramania Namboothiri, a stalwart of Kathakali music, and JT Jeyaraaj Krishnan and Jaysri Jeyaraaj Krishnan, a veena duo deeply rooted in Muthuswami Dikshitar’s lineage. Namboothiri, a respected guru and performer, has spent over three decades at Kerala Kalamandalam, upholding the traditional idiom of Kathakali music. The Jeyaraaj Krishnans, both A-Top artistes at AIR, are celebrated for their commitment to their pathanthara, keeping their style pure and authentic.
In recognition of scholarly contributions to music, the Musicologist Award has been awarded to Professor CA Sridhara, an associate professor at the University College of Fine Arts for Women, whose research has expanded the academic understanding of Carnatic traditions.
On the dance front, the Nritya Kalanidhi title has been conferred upon Urmila Satyanarayana, a Bharatanatyam exponent who has not only enthralled audiences but also nurtured many disciples through her dance school, Natya Sankalpaa. Urmila shares, “I feel very joyous and extremely grateful. It’s unbelievable, overwhelming. This is a recognition of not just my journey, but the efforts of my gurus, my students, my colleagues, and my family.” Reflecting on challenges in a dancer’s career, she advised young artistes, “The most important thing is to have faith in what you’re doing. There will be highs and lows, but holding on with positivity and grit through the difficult times is key. There will be light at the end of the tunnel.”
For Urmila, the award is a collective achievement. “I owe it to my gurus, my students, my co-musicians, my faculty who have supported me for over 25 years. A dancer cannot perform without music, without the stage, without the team behind the scenes. This award belongs to all of them.”
The Sangita Kalanidhi awardee will preside over the academic sessions of the 99th Annual Conference and Concerts of the Music Academy from December 15, 2025, to January 1, 2026, receiving the award on the final day at the 'Sadas'. The Nritya Kalanidhi awardee will be honoured at the inauguration of the 19th Annual Dance Festival on January 3, 2026.