H. R. Keshava Murthy

🪔 About

H. R. Keshava Murthy (February 22, 1934 – December 21, 2022) was a revered Indian classical artist, renowned as both a Gamaka exponent and a Bharatanatyam guru. Born in Hosahalli, Shivamogga district, Karnataka, he hailed from a family of traditional artists. His initial training in Gamaka, a traditional Kannada musical storytelling form, came from his father, Vedabrahma Ramaswamy Shastry, and later from Venkateshaiah. Murthy significantly contributed to Gamaka by expanding its repertoire with over 100 classical ragas, earning him the title "Shataragi" and leading to the distinctive "Keshavamurthy gharana" style. He was instrumental in popularizing Kannada epics like Kumaravyasas Bharatha and Jaiminis Bharatha through his performances. In the realm of classical dance, H. R. Keshava Murthy received his foundational Bharatanatyam training in the Mysore style under Guru Natuvanar Gundappa. He further honed his musical abilities with Carnatic vocal music under Narasimmiah and N. Chenna Keshaviah, and flute under Srinivasa Murthy of Mysore. In 1949, he established Keshava Nrityashala in Bangalore (now Bengaluru), an institution dedicated to Bharatanatyam training and propagation. Over his career, he trained more than two thousand students in classical dance techniques, including notable exponents such as Lalitha Srinivasan and his daughter Vasanthalakshmi. His son, B.K. Shyam Prakash, and grandson, Raghunandan S., continue his legacy at the institution. Murthy also created original dance-dramas by adapting Kannada poetic works. He served as president of the Karnataka Nrithya Kala Parishath for many years, actively promoting the art form in Karnataka. His profound contributions to the arts were recognized with numerous accolades. He received the Karnataka Kala Tilaka in 1981 from the Karnataka Sangeetha Nritya Academy, the Shantala Natya Sri Award in 1998 from the Government of Karnataka for his contributions to classical dance, and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Bharatanatyam in 1999-2000. The Government of Karnataka also honored him with the Rajyotsava Prashasti in 2002 and the Kumaravyasa Prashasti in 2009. In 2022, he was conferred the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, by the Government of India, for his lifelong dedication to preserving Gamaka and Kavya Vachana traditions. H. R. Keshava Murthy passed away at his residence in Hosahalli at the age of 88. Awards & Honours: Karnataka Kala Tilaka (1981), Shantala Natya Sri Award (1998), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1999), Rajyotsava Prashasti (2002), Kumaravyasa Prashasti (2009), Padma Shri (2022).