E. Gayathri Biography 
Echampati Gayathri, best known as E. Gayathri is a Veena exponent from Andhra Pradesh. She is fondly called "Veena Gayathri”. She practises Veena in Carnatic tradition. She currently serves as Honorary Director of Tamil Nadu Government Music Colleges in Chennai, Thiruvaiyaru. Gayathri received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2002. She is also a recipient of "Kalaimamani" award in 1984 and Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rotary Club, Madras East in 2011. She has been honoured with a Doctorate by the World Tamil University in the year 2017.
Her birth name is Gayathri Vasantha Shoba. She was born on 9 November 1959 to G. Aswathama and Kamala Aswathama. Her father is a Telugu music director while her mother is a Veena exponent. When she was just five she tried repeating her father’s tunes. It drew her parents’ attention, who promoted her talents. Gayathri initially received training in Carnatic music and Veena from her parents, and later she took advanced studies from T. M. Thyagarajan. In 1968 she gave her first public performance at the age of 9 at Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha, Triplicane, when she performed at Saint Thyagaraja Festival. She was then known as Baby Gayathri on stage.
Since then she went on to become one of the leading female Veena artists of the country. She has performed in different music festivals in India and abroad, and has also taught numerous disciples. A child prodigy, at the age of 13, she became an A-grade Veena artist in AIR. She was featured in composer A.R. Rahman's Jana Gana Mana anthem track. She received ‘Kumara Gandharva' award from Madhya Pradesh Government in 1999. She was appointed the first Vice-Chancellor of the Tamil Nadu Music and Fine Arts University in 2013.
Published: October 08, 2018
Updated: October 08, 2018
