Violinist N. Rajam, associated with Hindustani classical music, has been nominated for the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award

Violinist N. Rajam, associated with Hindustani classical music, has been nominated for the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award

¨     Violinist N. Rajam, associated with Hindustani classical music, has been nominated for the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award.

¨     The award is announced in the Republic Day honours list and is conferred by the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

¨     Padma Awards are civilian honours conferred by the Government of India.

¨     They are announced every year on the eve of Republic Day.

¨     The Padma Awards are categorized into three levels: Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan.

¨     N. Rajam is known for developing the “Gayaki Ang” style of violin playing.

¨     Gayaki Ang is a technique that replicates the vocal qualities of human singing, including tonal movement and ornamentation, on the violin.

¨     She was born in 1938 in Chennai.

¨     She initially trained in Carnatic music before transitioning to Hindustani classical music.

¨     She served at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) for nearly four decades.

¨     At BHU, she worked as a professor, Head of Department, and Dean of the Faculty of Performing Arts.