more photos (16)

T.M. Krishna’s Followers (47)

Add New
Videos

The Artiste | N. Deepan & N. Rajan - Parai | Episode 1

Add a comment

T.M. Krishna

Born

in Chennai, India

January 22, 1976

Website

https://tmkrishna.com/

Twitter

tmkrishna

Genre

Art, Music

edit data

Thodur Madabusi Krishna a.k.a T.M. Krishna is a Carnatic vocalist, writer, activist and author. Both of Krishna's parents had deep interest in the arts, especially Carnatic music. Krishna's parents ensured that he received exposure to the classical arts from a young age. They arranged for him to receive music lessons from a very young age. Krishna began his musical training under Bhagavathula Seetharama Sharma. He later underwent special Ragam Thanam Pallavi grooming under Chingleput Ranganathan.

Krishna's performing career began at the age of 12 with his debut concert at the Spirit of Youth series organized by the Music Academy, Chennai (India). He has since performed widely at various festivals and venues across the world, including the Ma Thodur Madabusi Krishna a.k.a T.M. Krishna is a Carnatic vocalist, writer, activist and author. Both of Krishna's parents had deep interest in the arts, especially Carnatic music. Krishna's parents ensured that he received exposure to the classical arts from a young age. They arranged for him to receive music lessons from a very young age. Krishna began his musical training under Bhagavathula Seetharama Sharma. He later underwent special Ragam Thanam Pallavi grooming under Chingleput Ranganathan.

Krishna's performing career began at the age of 12 with his debut concert at the Spirit of Youth series organized by the Music Academy, Chennai (India). He has since performed widely at various festivals and venues across the world, including the Madras Music Academy, National Centre for the Performing Arts (India), John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, to name a few.

His music is often appraised as being soulful and full of 'raga bhava'. Among his many renditions, some of the most popular among his listeners include 'Jambupathe' in Yamunakalyani and 'Manavinala' in Nalinakanthi. His music during the last decade was reputed for his powerful, deep voice and his ability to sing rapid swaras in many rare ragas. He now shows a focus on Neraval, an improvisational form which he believes has been distorted over the ages. He is also famous for his 'innovations' in the method he presents his concerts, one of the primary issues that purists have being that he renders varnams (traditionally introductory pieces) in the middle of a concert. He is also working towards a project in which Dikshithar compositions from the Sangeetha Sampradaya Pradarshini are rendered exactly according to their notation in the book.

Krishna speaks and writes about a wide range of issues, not confined to the cultural sphere. His interests span the breadth of leftwing activism, be it the environment, the caste system, social reform, religious reform, combating communalism, innovation in classical music and so on. He has started and is involved in many organizations whose work is spread across the spectrum of music and culture. Recently, he has spoken out against the revocation of Article 370, the destruction of statues.

Krishna is part of the team of activists that organizes the Urur-Olcott Kuppam Festival (Chennai Kalai Theru Vizha) in Chennai and the Svanubhava initiative in Chennai. He has been part of inspiring collaborations, such as the Chennai Poromboke Paadal with environmentalist Nityanand Jayaraman. He has collaborated for performances with the Jogappas (transgender musicians) and has brought on to the concert stage the poetry of Perumal Murugan. He also speaks in various conferences and academic institutions, including Harvard University, Chennai Mathematical Institute, the Indian Institutes of Technology, and the Indian Institutes of Management.

Among his awards are the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award (2016) in recognition of ‘his forceful commitment as artist and advocate to art’s power to heal India’s deep social divisions’, the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration (2017) for his services in promoting and preserving national integration in the country, and the Professor V. Aravindakshan Memorial Award (2017) for connecting Carnatic music with the common man. ...more

Combine Editions
T.M. Krishna’s books

Average rating: 3.88 · 453 ratings · 69 reviews · 7 distinct works • Similar authors

	Sebastian and Sons: A Brief History of Mrdangam Makers 4.11 avg rating — 201 ratings — published 2020 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Southern Music: The Karnatik Story 3.76 avg rating — 136 ratings — published 2013 — 12 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Reshaping Art: Harnessing art for social change 3.63 avg rating — 78 ratings — published 2018 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Spirit of Enquiry: Notes of Dissent 3.85 avg rating — 20 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Voices Within Carnatic Music: Passing on an Inheritance by T.M. Krishna, Mythili Chandrasekar (Co-author), Bombay Jayashri Ramnath (Co-author) 3.18 avg rating — 11 ratings — published 2007	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	எம்.எஸ். காற்றினிலே கரைந்த துயர் [M.S: Kaatrinilye Karaintha Thuyar] by T.M. Krishna, D.I. Aravindan (Translator) 3.40 avg rating — 5 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Purambokku Padal really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by T.M. Krishna…

Quotes by T.M. Krishna (?)

“Interestingly, the drunkard-genius is a valorised trope when the imbiber of spirits is from among the upper castes. T.R. Mahalingam, the flautist, is a classic example of someone who was an alcoholic but whose drunkenness is spoken of with much affection. His genius eclipsed everything else, they would say. But Somu, the undisputed champion among woodcrafters, would never be given that leeway—his drunkenness is a defect born of his caste. This hypocrisy of the upper castes, and those aspiring to be like them, is insufferable.

Arulraj from the Thanjavur family had a different interpretation. ‘If they (his father and uncles) had extra money, they would head straight to the liquor store. Immediately, their mood would change.’ He was speaking in the context of how the older generation unquestioningly accepted their social status and the way they were treated. Alcoholism could also have been an escape from reality.”
― T.M. Krishna, Sebastian and Sons: A Brief History of Mrdangam Makers

1 likes

“In its totality, a raga is a combination of musical heritage, technical elements, emotional charge, cognitive understanding and aural identity.”
― T.M. Krishna, A Southern Music: Exploring the Karnatik Tradition

1 likes

“Social inequality gets embedded more deeply in the minds of the receiver, only to grant the giver even more power.”
― T.M. Krishna, Sebastian and Sons: A Brief History of Mrdangam Makers

1 likes

See all T.M. Krishna's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Ultimate Popsugar...: Week 26: 6/21 – 6/27	122	202	Jul 12, 2019 03:19PM
2025 & 2026 Readi...: Dhiya's 52 books for 2020	64	122	Nov 20, 2020 05:12AM

Is this you? Let us know. If not, help out and invite T.M. to Goodreads.

T.M. Krishna’s Followers (47)

Add NewVideos

T.M. Krishna

Combine EditionsT.M. Krishna’s books

Topics Mentioning This Author

Add New
Videos

Combine Editions
T.M. Krishna’s books