M. L. Vasanthakumari Biography 
M. L. Vasanthakumari was a Carnatic singer and playback singer of South Indian cinema. She, along with her contemporaries D. K. Pattammal and M. S. Subbulakshmi were often referred to as the "female trinity of Carnatic Music. She was the disciple of famous G. N. Balasubramaniam. She too had many disciples of who film actress Srividya is her daughter. She was the youngest female awardee of the Sangita Kalanidhi award. Her full name is Madras Lalitangi Vasanthakumari and she is often reffered to as M.L.V. She was one among those pioneers of Carnatic music who popularized rare ragas and her Ragam Thanam Pallavis were considered cerebral.
MLV was born to musicians, Kuthanur Ayya Swamy Iyer and Lalithangi on July 3, 1928. Her parents popularized the compositions of Purandara Dasa in South India. She studied in Chennai and wanted to pursue a career in medicine. It was just co-incidence that she came to contact with great musician, G. N. Balasubramaniam. Whole life changed to her and she became his first disciple. She was only 12 years old when she accompanied her mother in a live concert for the first time. It happened in the year 1940 and two years later, she gave her first solo performance at the age of 14. Within 10 years, she established herself as one of the leading Carnatic female singers of south India.
MLV learned Devaranamas of Purandaradasa from her mother and later she popularized it as well. In 1976, MLV was honoured with a doctorate degree from Mysore University for her contributions to Purandaradasa. She popularized a few unfamiliar ragas like 'Kalyana Gopalam', composed by Narayana Teertha and 'Venkatachala Nilayam' by Purandaradasa. In 1946, she entered playback singing. But her first hit song happened in the year 1951. The song was Ellam Inbamayam of Tamil movie, Manamagal. Her song Parkadal Alaimele, from the 1960 movie Raja Desingu later became popular as Bhartnatyam recital.
Published: N/A
Updated: January 20, 2014
