M.S. Subbulakshmi was a renowned Indian carnatic musician and playback singer who was born in 1916 in Madurai, India. She was a child prodigy, beginning her career in music at age 8 and releasing her first recording at age 10. Throughout her life, she received extensive classical training in both carnatic and hindustani styles of music and had a hugely successful career, performing internationally and receiving many prestigious national awards, including the Bharat Ratna. She was considered a living legend and was beloved for popularizing Indian classical music around the world until her death in 2004 at age 88.

1. The nightingale of India
M S SUBBULAKSHMI
CHILD PRODIGY TURNED INTO THE ICON OF INDIA
1916 -2004

2. Birth
 Born on 16th September, 1916 in
Madurai, Tamil Nadu, in a family that
had a musical background.
 Madurai Shanmukhavadivu
Subbulakshmi was fondly known as
M.S

3. Early stage
 Little Kunjamma was
introduced to Carnatic
music at a very early
age.
 She released her first
album at the mere age
of 10.

4. Public performance
 training - classical carnatic
music under the famous
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer
.
 learnt Hindustani classical
music under Pundit
Narayan Rao Vyas.
 first public performance at
the age of eight at
Kumbakonam
Mahamaham.

5. First recording
 At the age of ten released her first
recording.
 Later continued learning carnatic
classical music under Semmangudi
Srinivasa Iyer and Hindustani classical
music under Pandit Narayan Rao Vyas.

6. Music Academy
Then M.S went to the Madras
Music Academy and gave a
stunning performance at the age
of 17.

7. Acting
 M.S entered into the film in
dusty as an actress in
“Sevasadanam”. (1938)
 Her male role as Narada in
the movie “Savitri” was
appreciated (1941)

8. Meera
Her most memorable
film, Bhakta Meera
became popular for all
her melodious, famous,
ever green Meera
bhajans. (1945)

9. Career
 She attained much acclaim and
success in films, but they did not
appeal to her after some time.
 She quit films and continued to give
public performances and concerts.

10. Marriage
 In the year 1936, she met
Sadasivam who was a freedom
fighter.
 They both got married after four
years in 1940.
 Mr Sadasivam has been a pillar of
support throughout her career in
the world of music.

11. Many languages - one voice
Apart from her mother
tongue Kannada, she has
performed in different
languages in Tamil, Telugu,
Sanskrit, Hindi, Malayalam,
Kannada, Bengali, Gujarati
and Marathi with variety of
musical forms.

12. Popular works
 'Suprabhatam' (Early Morning
Hymns)
 Bhajagovindam' (admiring Lord
Krishna) composed by Adi
Shankaracharya
 'Kurai OnrumIllai', composition of
Rajagopalachari
 Vishnu Sahasranamam' (1000
names of Lord Vishnu)
 'Hanuman Chalisa' (prayer of Lord
Hanuman)

13. Doctorate
 Received Honorary Doctorate from
Indira KalaSangeet Vishwavidyalaya in
Khairagarh Madhya Pradesh - 1979

14. Colour – MS Blue
 The Kancheepuram saree
shade MS Blue is named after
this legendary singer and
musician

15. Awards
 1940 Isai Vani, conferred by Semmangudi
Srinivasa Iyer and Rajamaanikkam Pillai
 Padma Bhushan -1954
 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award -1956
 Sangeetha Kalanidhi -1968 – The Hindu
 Ramon Magsaysay award -1974
 Padma Vibhushan -1975
 Sangeetha Kalasikhamani -1975 -The Indian Fine
Arts Society
 Kalidas Samman -1988
 Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration -
1990
 Lifetime Achievement Award - 2004

16. Ramon Magsaysay award
 MS - first Indian musician to
receive the Ramon Magsaysay
award, Asia's highest civilian
award, in 1974.
 Former Prime Minister Jawaharlal
Nehru once said of MS "Who am
I, a mere Prime Minister before a
queen, a queen of music."

17. UN – India - stamps
A commemorative postage
stamp on her was issued on
December 18, 2005, by the
Indian Government
UN will be releasing a stamp
commemorating her service to
music

18. Bharat Ratna - 1998
She was the first
musician to receive
this award.

19. Cultural Ambassador
 Cultural Ambassador of India, visited
London, New York, Canada and the Far
East.

20. Milestones
 Her musical concerts at Carnegie
Hall, New York (1977)
 The UN General Assembly on UN
day (1966)
 the Royal Albert Hall, London (1982)
and
 the Festival of India, Moscow (1987)
were important milestones in her
career.

21. Tirupati
 She was honoured as
Asthana Vidhwan of
Tirumala Tirupati
Devasthanams.
 Tirupati Urban
Development Authority
(TUDA) has installed a
bronze statue of M.S.
Subbulakshmi at the
Poornakumbham circle in
the temple town.

22. Philanthropist
 The prestigious awards brought
her money which was donated
for charity
 performed - 200 charity concerts
raising - worth millions of rupees.
 The royalties received from her
records - donated to charitable
organizations and trusts.

23. Many names
She was known by various
nicknames
the Queen of Music
Nightingale of India
the Eighth Tone of Music
the Goddess of Perfect
Note

24. Titles
 Kishori Amonkar called her
the "aathvaan sur",
 Lata Mangeshkar called her "tapaswini“
 Bade Ghulam Ali khan called her
"Surswaralakshmi Subbulakshmi"
 Sarojini Naidu conferred upon her the
title of "the nightingale of India."

25. Departed
This great soul departed on 11th
December 2004 in Chennai (age
88 )

26. Thank you
Dr Chandrika Subramaniyan
Natyanjali & TACA