M. L. Vasanthakumari

Madras Lalithangi Vasanthakumari (popularly referred to as MLV) (3 July 1928 – 31 October 1990) was an Indian Carnatic musician and playback singer for films in several South Asian languages. MLV and her contemporaries, D. K. Pattammal and M. S. Subbulakshmi, are popularly referred to as the female trinity of Carnatic music. A prime disciple of G. N. Balasubramaniam, she was the youngest among the established musicians of that era and was the youngest female to receive the Sangita Kalanidhi award. In 1967, she was honored with the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award, by the government of India. Her daughter, the late Srividya, was an actress in Tamil and Malayalam films.
As well as being a much sought-after playback singer for films, MLV popularized unfamiliar ragas, and her Ragam Thanam Pallavis were considered cerebral. Additionally, she popularized the compositions of the Haridasas. Her most famous disciples include Srividya (her daughter), Sudha Raghunathan, Charumathi Ramachandran, and A. Kanyakumari.
MLV was born into a musical family. Her father, Kuthanur Ayya Swamy Iyer, was a notable musician, and her mother, Lalithangi, was also a musician. When Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das died in 1925, Lalithangi came out with a song as a tribute to his patriotism. A rare gramophone record of her rendition of this song is said to be in V. Sundaram's possession.
MLV (M. L. Vasanthakumari) received her school education in Madras, attending a convent school, where she initially planned to pursue a career in medicine. However, her path took a pivotal turn when Carnatic musician, G. N. Balasubramaniam, became her guru. In her own words:
"My parents had rendered yeoman service to Carnatic music. They were instrumental in popularizing the compositions of Purandara Dasa in South India. Although they were not keen on my pursuing a career in music and instead provided me with a general education, the musical atmosphere at home gave me ample opportunity to practice vocal music. When G. N. Balasubramaniam heard me sing, he convinced my parents to allow him to tutor me. It is he who is responsible for the position I hold in the music world today."
MLV learned Carnatic music from G. N. Balasubramaniam (GNB). She was also his first disciple.
MLV made her debut in 1940, at the age of 12, by accompanying her mother in a recital. Two years later, she performed a solo recital in Bengaluru. She also cut her first 78-rpm disc. From then on, her career took on a geometric progression as a stage artist, and by 1950, she had established herself as a leading performer.
MLV absorb much of GNB's style but did not make a habit of speed and struck out on her own, evolving a distinct and unique style of her own.
While MLV was known more for her cerebral style than her emotional one, this was compensated for by her rich and original manodharma. Similar to GNB, she was said to be a genius in her tricky, instantaneous, brilliant manodharma. Indira Menon comments, "MLV did adopt her Guru's idea of a quick impressionistic sketch of the raga covering the two octaves at the start, but settled down to a reposeful elaboration, unfolding it gradually with her virtuosity in the form of BRIGA-CCASCADES appearing only where necessary. She was careful not to carry to excess what her versatile voice was capable of."
MLV's mastery of vocal techniques was comprehensive and complete. She could render several difficult ragas with her alapana and kalpana swaras, suitably embellished with shruthi-bheda. Her listeners had the same ecstatic experience when she sang, and more particularly when, in a lightning manner, she shifted gracefully from the melodic world of one raga in one pitch to another raga in another pitch. In this context, one has to refer to raga combinations like Shanmukhapriya-Sankarabharanam, Bhairavi-Kamas, and Abhogi-Valaji to illustrate this point.
In GNB's own words, Vasanthi typifies real discipleship—she absorbs all but presents her own glorious creations."
Lalithangi, MLV's mother, had a vast repertoire of Purandaradasa kritis. She passed on this tradition to her daughter, MLV. As a result, like T. Brinda, who brought Kshetrayya Padams to the public platform, and M. S. Subbalakshmi, who brought Annamacharya kritis to the public arena, MLV popularized the Devaranamas of Purandaradasa.
She popularized the composition 'Kalyana Gopalam', composed by Narayana Teertha, in Raga Sindhubhairavi. She also popularized the composition 'Venkatachala Nilayam' by Purandaradasa in the same raga. Hindustani maestro Bade Ghulam Ali Khan generously praise her for her music. Sudha Ragunathan mentions, "MLV Amma has told me that it was Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Saab who taught her the nuances of Sindhu Bhairavi in the Hindustani style."
She popularized the composition 'Kalyana Gopalam', composed by Narayana Teertha, in Raga Sindhubhairavi. She also popularized the composition 'Venkatachala Nilayam' by Purandaradasa in the same raga. Hindustani maestro Bade Ghulam Ali Khan was generous in his praise for her music. Sudha Ragunathan mentions, "MLV Amma has told me that it was Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Saab who taught her the nuances of Sindhu Bhairavi in the Hindustani style."
By 1946, MLV was also a playback singer. Her first big hit was in the 1951 film Manamagal, where she sang the song Ellam Inbamayam in Ragamalika and Subramania Bharathiyar's evergreen composition, Chinnanchiru Kiliyae. In the 1960 film Raja Desingu, MLV also sang another Ragamalika, Parkadal Alaimele, which was well received and later became popular in Bharatanatyam recitals. In later years, MLV would also sing these songs towards the end of her Carnatic music concerts, and today, many musicians include them in their repertoire.
MLV also sang Ayya Saami in the 1951 film, Or Iravu. This song was based on the song Gore Gore from the film Samaadhi, which was in turn based on the Latin American song Chico Chico from Puerto Rico from the film Cuban Pete. In the 1952 film Thayullam, MLV sang Konjum Purave, which was based on the famous Hindi song Thandi Havayen.
Other songs MLV sang include Adisayam Vanathu Arivumayam, Senthamarai Kannanae, Vanna Tamizh, and Adum Arul Jothi in the films Vikramadithian, Vairamalai, and Sornakili. Incidentally, each of these songs contained the raga Kalyani and was also well received.
MLV sang the Dashaavataara song for Bhookailas like Munneeta Pavalinchu Naagashayana, while Kumari Kamala danced in a classical way. She sang for films until 1970.
As one of the leading stage artists, MLV was noted for her charm, grace, warmth, self-restraint, and humility. Her self-restraint as an artist can be understood from her own words: Brigas in a fast tempo should adhere to the shruthi, and above all, true music must touch the listener's heart. MLV, however, maintained a philosophy: A concert is a daily test of the caliber of a musician. A slight lapse may let the musician down, and constant vigilance is essential.
Mridangam maestro Palghat Mani Iyer made an exception to the decision he had made early in his career not to accompany a female performer and accompanied her to concerts. MLV helped others, including Mannargudi Easwaran, Srimushnam V. Raja Rao, Seerkazhi J. Skandaprasad, Thiruvarur Bakthavathsalam, R. Ramesh, Karaikudi Krishnamurthy, G. Harishankar (kanjira), Dwaram Mangathayaru (violin), Kannyakumari (violin), and more, establishing them by encouraging them and giving them opportunities to accompany her in concerts.
MLV married Kalaimamani Vikatam R. Krishnamurthy in 1951. They had a son, Krishnamurthy Sankararaman and Srividya.
MLV taught her daughter Srividya. At the age of 10 her daughter was ready to perform and sang like MLV. Srividya, however, wanted to pursue a career in the film industry and went on to become a notable actress in Indian films.
By coincidence, Srividya made her acting debut in a Tamil movie as a concert vocalist. It was her mother, MLV, who sang for Srividya. The Asaveri Raga Krithi MLV sang for her daughter Srividya to lip-sync in the film, would have been just as fitting in a concert during the December season.
MLV trained several other students, many of whom have become top-ranking musicians today. Some notable musicians who have studied under MLV include Sudha Ragunathan, Charumathi Ramachandran, and A. Kanyakumari.
Saraswathi Srinivasan (b. 1936) was the first disciple of MLV. After her marriage, Saraswathy Srinivasan, jointly with MLV, performed in concerts.
She died in 1990 at the age of 62 from cancer and was stoic about the suffering she faced in the last year of her life.
She was a much sought-after playback singer from the late 1940s until the mid-1960s.
She worked under C. R. Subburaman, S. M. Subbaiah Naidu, G. Ramanathan, S. Dakshinamurthi, K. V. Mahadevan, Vedha, V. Nagayya, Pendyala Nageshwara Rao, T. Chalapathi Rao, Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, S. Rajeswara Rao, R. Sudarsanam, R. Govardhanam, T. R. Pappa, S. V. Venkatraman, Kunnakudi Venkatrama Iyer, G. Aswathama, T. A. Kalyanam, M. S. Gnanamani, C. N. Pandurangan, C. S. Jayaraman, G. Govindarajulu Naidu, T. G. Lingappa, K. G. Moorthy, Ghantasala, Master Venu, G. Aswathama, V. Dakshinamoorthy, G. Devarajan, K. Raghavan and Shankar–Jaikishan.
She sang duets mostly with Thiruchi Loganathan, Seerkazhi Govindarajan and A. M. Rajah. Others are M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, V. N. Sundaram, T. R. Mahalingam, T. A. Mothi, C. R. Subburaman, C. S. Jayaraman, Ghantasala, G. K. Venkatesh, T. M. Soundararajan, P. B. Sreenivas, K. S. George, V. Dakshinamoorthy, and K. J. Yesudas.
She also sang duets with female singers, most notably with P. Leela & N. L. Ganasaraswathi. Others are A. P. Komala, T. S. Bagavathi, Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi, Jikki, T. V. Rathnam, Radha Jayalakshmi, P. A. Periyanayaki, P. Bhanumathi, K. Jamuna Rani and A. G. Rathnamala.