Vidwan Dr. R. S. Nandakumar

🪔 About

Vidwan Dr. R. S. Nandakumar, born in 1960 in Bhadravathi, Karnataka, India, is a distinguished Carnatic musician, musicologist, and scholar with significant contributions to Indian classical music and danceology. He hails from a lineage deeply rooted in the Tyagaraja parampara, being a fourth-generation musician and the son and disciple of Mahamahopadhyaya Dr. R. Sathyanarayana. Dr. Nandakumar is renowned for his innovative concert structures and authentic renditions in traditional Karnataka Music. His compositions extend to theatre plays, documentaries on yoga and culture, and notably, Bharatanatyam music. He has also directed music for dance and dance dramas. As a scholar, he holds a D.Litt degree from Kannada University, Hampi, for his thesis on Sripadaraya, which traces the origins of Karnataka Music. He is a Senior Research Fellow of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, conducting research on ancient Prabandhas. His academic engagements include serving as a Professor of Musicology with over 30 years of teaching experience in Indian Musicology and Danceology. He has been a co-opted member of the Sangita Nrtya Academy, Government of Karnataka, and has served as the Honorary Director for Prasaranga, Karnataka State Dr. Gangubai Hanagal Music and Performing Arts University, Mysore. Dr. Nandakumar is also the Director of Bharatiya Matanga Samajik Samskruthik Academy(R), an institution recognized by Kannada University Hampi for promoting postgraduate studies and research in Indian music and dance. He was a columnist for the Kannada Daily Newspaper Prajavani, where he wrote about music and dance forms. He has lectured on Indian Music and Dancing at various universities in Germany and the United States of America. Awards & Honours: Asthana Vidwan, Sushameendra Prashasti, Shastra Kausthubha Award, Gayana Gandharva, Sangita Parampara Nidhi, Karnataka Kala Sri, Outstanding Musician of our country, 1st Prize for All India Radio Feature Vachana Pada Vaidya.