K. P. Parameswaran

🪔 About

K. P. Parameswaran, also known as Kodunthirapully Parameswaran, is a distinguished professional mridangam artiste in the realm of Carnatic music. Born on July 17, 1969, in Kodunthirapully Village, Palakkad, Kerala, India, to K.S. Padmanabha Iyer and K.P. Lokanayaki, his musical journey began at an early age. He received his initial and foundational training in mridangam from his grandfather, the late Mridanga Vidwan Sri Kodunthirapully Swaminatha Iyer, who was a direct disciple of mridangam maestros Thanjavur Vaidyanatha Iyer and Palghat Mani Iyer. Parameswaran further honed his skills by completing the Ganabhushanam Course in Mridangam under Professor Parassala Ravi at Chembai Memorial Music College, Palakkad. His advanced training involved a rigorous Gurukulavasam under the legendary Mridangam Maestro Sangeetha Kalanidhi Dr. T.K. Murthy, spanning from 1987 to 2002, a period of 15 years. His official website indicates this training lasted for more than 17 years. During this period, he was awarded a central government scholarship in recognition of his prodigious talent in mridangam. A torchbearer of the Thanjavur style of mridangam playing, K. P. Parameswaran is known for his highly traditional approach, characterized by vibrant strokes and mathematical ingenuity. He is an 'A' Graded artist of All India Radio (AIR) and has performed extensively across India and internationally, accompanying numerous stalwarts of Carnatic Music. He frequently performed "Double Mridangam" concerts and lecture demonstrations with his guru, Dr. T.K. Murthy, adopting his guru's distinctive style in both accompaniment and solo performances. His contributions to Carnatic music also include playing in commercially released CDs such as "35 Thalas," "72 Mela Kartha Thalas," and "108 Thalas," produced by Dr. T.K. Murthy. K. P. Parameswaran has been honored with several prestigious titles, including "Asthana Vidhwan" of Kanchi Madhom, "SANGEETHA THILAKAM" by Thiruvambadi Devaswam of Thrissur, "LAYA VADHYA NIPUNA" by Kerala Brahmana Sabha, and "LAYA VIDHYACHARYA MANI" by Nandhikeshwar Thala Vidhyalaya, Chrompet, Chennai. Beyond his performing career, he is also a dedicated mridangam teacher, having trained many disciples who are now prominent in the field. Awards & Honours: Central Government Scholarship, 'A' Grade Artiste, Asthana Vidhwan, SANGEETHA THILAKAM, LAYA VADHYA NIPUNA, LAYA VIDHYACHARYA MANI.