Kamaswara Rao to be awarded Sangeeta Kala Charya

Veteran Mrudanga Vidwan Varada Kameswara Rao (80) has been selected for 'Sangeeta Kala Charya' award by Madras Music Academy. The academy will be honouring the noted vidwan with the award on January 1, at a special meeting convened in TT Krishnama Chary auditorium.

Kamalakar Rao learnt mrudangam from the age of five, in Rajamahendravaram. He mastered the mrudangam under the aegis of Singaraju Subba Raju, Varanasi Yagnanarayana Sastry and Yella Somanna. He also trained under Palghati Mani Ayyer in the year 1953.

So far, he has given thousands of programmes across the country and abroad. In the year 2000, Central Sangeetha Academy honoured him. Earlier, Kamalakar Rao was conferred with many titles such as Mrudanga Vidwanmani, Mrudanga Kovida, Mrudanga Kala Siromani, Mrudanga Vidya Nidhi and Mrudanga Kalavatamsa from many reputed organisations in the country.

Speaking to The Hans India, Kamlakar Rao said the state government has not yet recognised him, though the central music academy honoured him in the year 2000. It will take a minimum of six years to learn mrudangam and ten years to master the art.