T M Krishna wins Magsaysay award 2016

Ananth · Post by **Ananth** » 27 Jul 2016, 10:00

http://m.thehindu.com/news/national/tm- ... 905330.ece

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 27 Jul 2016, 10:43

Cograts and best wishes to TMK
Thanjavooran
27 07 2016

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 27 Jul 2016, 11:42

He questioned the politics of art; widened his knowledge about the arts of the dalits (“untouchables”) and non-Brahmin communities; and declared he would no longer sing in ticketed events at a famous, annual music festival in Chennai to protest the lack of inclusiveness.

Seems remarkably flimsy on the results side for this prestigious award. Plus as I remember, the protest was against the commercialization and NRIs dominating the season.

Rsachi · Post by **Rsachi** » 27 Jul 2016, 12:07

Congratulations and best wishes to a great musician of this generation! All the best to Vid. T. M. Krishna!

ram1999 · Post by **ram1999** » 27 Jul 2016, 13:26

Rsachi wrote:Congratulations and best wishes to a great musician of this generation! All the best to Vid. T. M. Krishna!

Good musician is alright but am not sure if he a great musician.

A bit too hyped up one

Sivaramakrishnan · Post by **Sivaramakrishnan** » 27 Jul 2016, 13:34

Good.
Eager to know who were the awardees from the field of music in the past years.

KRISHNAMOORTHY · Post by **KRISHNAMOORTHY** » 27 Jul 2016, 14:42

Congrats to T. M. Krishna . I think MS was the only other Carnatic musician to get the Magsaysay award.

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 27 Jul 2016, 15:15

I don't think this award is for music. Arvind Kejriwal also past recipient to put things in perspective

vinsim · Post by **vinsim** » 27 Jul 2016, 15:23

Agree. This award is given to social activists, especially ones that portray India in a bad light. Rockefeller Fund behind this.Could very well be another "breaking India" force as described by the Hindu Academic Rajiv Malhotra

gajaa · Post by **gajaa** » 27 Jul 2016, 15:38

Yes, MS is the only other Carnatic Musician I can think of, who has received the award. As Sanjay gets (got) the Sangeeta Kalanidi, TMK is not too far behind eh?! Before everyone jumps up on me, my intent is not to compare SK vs the Magsaysay! Magsaysay is perhaps better known throughout the world?

prabuddha · Post by **prabuddha** » 27 Jul 2016, 15:39

It's a bit like Barack Obama getting the Nobel Prize for peace. At that point in time, he hadn't done anything for peace, After that point he only escalated war though it was a drone war rather than one fought with soldiers.

CM needs a statesman who can offer him a face saving formula to get back into the mainstream. An artiste needs his audience - social consciousness alone wont keep him fulfilled.

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 27 Jul 2016, 15:48

Think I understand somewhat the 1st part about Obomber but why does CM need any statesman?

This award proves that the disinformation about CM being an elitist bastion (rather than a somewhat flawed meritocracy) has been successful

Rsachi · Post by **Rsachi** » 27 Jul 2016, 16:14

Guys,
My take on this is that TMK is first and foremost a musician. I put him in the great class because he has given me some great moments.

I disagree with him on many of his ideas and expressions, especially his painting CM as a casteist, elitist, sexist, hypocrisy in the name of "bhakti" and "tradition".

But that a Carnatic musician has made it to Magsaysay is a good bit of news for all rasikas. Condone my simplistic thinking, but that's what I think.

If more musicians go sing in slums and transgender gatherings, that's not a bad thing either!

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 27 Jul 2016, 16:29

Well said Shri Raschi ! Totally agree with you. A Carnatic Musician from our circle is honored. Let us wish him good luck sinking all our differences. Hope more artistes are given due recognition in future.
Thanjavooran
27 06 2016

Suryaprakash · Post by **Suryaprakash** » 27 Jul 2016, 16:58

Hearty congratulations to the wonderful musician and my good friend T.M.Krishna on being nominated to receive the prestigious Ramon Magsayasay award. Wishing him many more accolades!

- R. Suryaprakash

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 27 Jul 2016, 17:25

Congratulations and best wishes to the vivdvAn!

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 27 Jul 2016, 17:30

Among other Indians to win the award in the past are Sanjiv Chaturvedi (2015), Anshu Gupta (2015), Harish Hande (2012), Deepa Joshi (2009), P. Sainath (2007), V. Shantha (2005), Aruna Roy (2000), Kiran Bedi (1994), Ela Bhatt (1977), Baba Amte (1985) and Vinoba Bhave (1958).

No mention of Smt. MSS...

ganesh_mourthy · Post by **ganesh_mourthy** » 27 Jul 2016, 18:04

Kudos Krishna

prabuddha · Post by **prabuddha** » 27 Jul 2016, 18:06

sureshvv wrote:Think I understand somewhat the 1st part about Obomber but why does CM need any statesman?

This award proves that the disinformation about CM being an elitist bastion (rather than a somewhat flawed meritocracy) has been successful

How else do you counter the disinformation?

grsastrigal · Post by **grsastrigal** » 27 Jul 2016, 18:08

Congratulations to TMK. He was awarded this award for achieving “Social inclusiveness in Culture”
I thought for a while and here are my observations.
Comparing Bewada Wilson with TM Krishna, the Magsaysay award fits to the former perfectly. See the social service done by Mr.Bewada. Liberating manual scavengers from the age old system is astonishing is really remarkable.
TM Krishna has not done anything except conducting concerts in the backward area. He tried to bring carnatic music in slums in India and other places in the world. It is a great thinking and really commendable. But does this deserve Magsaysay award ? What will be the outcome of his service ?
What he wanted to achieve by doing so ?
Has he wanted to bring the kids, in the slums, a full fledged Carnatic musicians so that they can sing in at least one of the sabhAs in chennai in, at least, morning slot ?
By taking the Carnatic music to slums, did he, sort of, preach yoga or some sort of improvement in their (slum) social life ? How did TMK upgrade/uplift slum people’s social life ?
Taking the CM to non-brahmin. - Today, so many non-brahmins are singing in the concerts without his help. As a %, non-brahmins are less. TMK cannot do anything for that. It has to come within. Even so many Brahmins are not interested in Carnatic music.
Will not sing in concerts for money –No tickets- If Magsaysay award is given for that and had Rajini Kanth known that he would be showing couple of his kabAli shows free to the public.
To make performing arts more accessible without barriers- He won’t succeed. If TMK thinks that he has achieved, by performing in some slums or dalits, he would be a big failure. Never ever a kalyAni ragam or bairavi alApana for 10 minutes would please a dalit person or slum lady. A normal CM singer needs to practice at least 5 years to sing a perfect varNam or a simple kriti , which all of us know.
As a writer, if this is awarded, he has not done anything special by writing which deserves Magsaysay award.
As a musician, he deserves Sangeetha kanAlidhi and because of the above “attitidue” he might have been barred from getting that award.

ram1999 · Post by **ram1999** » 27 Jul 2016, 18:22

I am not sure what his contributions to the ART form and others are. All that he has done is:

1. Started music at a young age.
2. Trained under some stalwarts and started performing at an young age.
3. Started very good but became cranky by altering the concert form in the name of innovation (almost upside down !)
4. Attention seeking that made him controversial which he used for gaining mileage.
5. Generalizing CM is only for bhramins and tried to reach it to the slums. Nothing wrong in the attempt but one should not forget there is cinema for those sect of people which they enjoy better.
6. Apart from singing in the slums, I doubt if he has worked for the upliftment.
7. To me he has taken the route of creating controversy to gain a name in the music circle than by performing real CM !

A hype that he has created and the people who have supported.

However, congratulations for winning the award !

vilomachapu · Post by **vilomachapu** » 27 Jul 2016, 18:30

Yes, MS is the only other Carnatic Musician I can think of, who has received the award

MLV was awarded the Magsaysay apart from MS.

prabuddha · Post by **prabuddha** » 27 Jul 2016, 18:34

GRsastrigal makes several points worth pondering. By taking concerts outside of the sabhas, he i.e., TMK has made something of a beginning, eventhough most of his actions may seem like political statements. Will the audience in his new ambience take to Kalyani ragam or bairavi alapanai, it remains to be seen. Songs with words would be the primary attraction for anybody new to this medium. Trinity songs wont cut it, just like the ancient author of Telugu basava purana, a great siva bhakta, wrote about the Tevaram, 'songs in languages we dont understand dont do anything for us'. The Tamil rasikan of the Kuppam is about to return the Telugu poet's compliment.

If TMK's forays into the slums or fishing villages becomes a movement, then you'd need a whole new repertoire. That will render most music teachers, mamis, pundits, musicologist wannabes, local organisers and vaggeyakara wannabes, I know, jobless. Socially it will be a problem for me

More importantly, the question of repertoire is reminiscent of the question of Tamil Isai. In other words. TMK is asking some questions of the CM establishment as a BBC commentator would put it when a puny Indian spinner has a famed English batsman in all manner of tangle at the popping crease.

As someone once observed, all questions have already been asked. We only need to find the answers now.

ALITER: find a Chanakya who will, by any available means, bring TMK back into the fold. That way, the question will lie dormant for another generation.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 27 Jul 2016, 18:47

Congratulations to TMK! One of the youngest awardees too, I guess. May he be inspired to do more service to those (especially children) of the less fortunate kind in our society.

Yes, that a CM practitioner got it is something for us all to be happy about.

Comparisons are odious. However, going back to the other CM artiste who was a recipient, there is an ocean of difference between what MS had wrought in the lives of the lowly by her countless benefit performances--for the betterment of women, education, flood relief, hospitals and endless other hefty causes--and TMK's seaside benefit concerts.

Many other awardees have (had) steeped themselves in the betterment of society over long years (for example, Dr. Shantha's life-long service to cancer treatment).

Our generation saw mighty doers who went about their work with nary a thing distracting them from their mission. They were not spoken about, written about or were awarded any
accolades in their time. They just did their thing, and cared about nothing else.

Times have changed, and our generation also realizes that awards and accolades and exposure in the media are all part of today's reality, and we accept that. However, we can't forget the times when what they did mattered, and not how they were 'seen' doing things.

Sureshvv,
Though not coming not from our generation, you make a point which makes sense to me.

gsastrigal,
Your post makes one think too...

yours_truly · Post by **yours_truly** » 27 Jul 2016, 19:20

Really concerned now that "the issues" which the awardee apparently "confronted" will be seen as real by those who know nothing about carnatic music. We don't want that!

vineyan · Post by **vineyan** » 27 Jul 2016, 19:20

I dont think MLV got the Magsaysay award. MS was awarded for social service through her music

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 27 Jul 2016, 19:37

I think it is a worthwhile goal to get people of all backgrounds singing carnatic music. A good way would be to spot youngsters in Govt. schools with both the talent & inclination and give them a multi year scholarship to get trained in CM. I am sure there are many organizations which will be ready to showcase them once they reach a level of competence.

May be TMK will use the award to do something like this.

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 27 Jul 2016, 19:43

yours_truly wrote:Really concerned now that "the issues" which the awardee apparently "confronted" will be seen as real by those who know nothing about carnatic music. !

This is really the problem. At the Hindu Lit. Fest. a couple years ago, the youngsters in the audience applauded for these kind of statements (that dalits are kept out of CM) and it fell on Sri TVG to explain the truth of the matter.

KRISHNAMOORTHY · Post by **KRISHNAMOORTHY** » 27 Jul 2016, 21:36

vilomachapu wrote, "MLV was awarded the Magsaysay apart from MS."

Here is a list of Magsaysay award winners from India courtesy :
[http://www.daytodaygk.com/ramon-magsays ... lete-list/]
The Ramon Magsaysay Award Winners from India
Vinobha Bhave 1958 Community Leadership
Chintaman Deshmukh 1959 Government Services
Amitabha Chowdhury 1961 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts
Mother Teresa 1962 Peace and International Understanding
Dara Khurody 1963 Community Leadership
Verghese Kurien 1963 Community Leadership
Tribhuvandas Patel 1963 Community Leadership
Welthy Fisher 1964 Peace and International Understanding
Jayaprakash Narayan 1965 Public Service
Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay 1966 Community Leadership
Satyajit Ray 1967 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts
Moncompu Sambasivan Swaminathan 1971 Community Leadership
M.S. Subbalakshmi 1974 Public Service
Boobli George Verghese 1975 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts
Henning Holck-Larsen 1976 Peace and International Understanding
Ela Ramesh Bhatt 1977 Community Leadership
Mabelle Arole 1979 Community Leadership
Rajanikant Arole 1979 Community Leadership
Gour Kishore Gosh 1981 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts
Pramod Karan Sethi 1981 Community Leadership
Chandi Prasad Bhatt 1982 Community Leadership
Manibhai Desai 1982 Public Service
Arun Shourie 1982 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts
Rasipuram Lakshman 1984 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts
Muralidhar Amte 1985 Public Service
Lakshmi Chand Jain 1989 Public Service
K.V. Subbanna 1991 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts
Ravi Shankar 1992 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts
Banoo Jehangir Coyaji 1993 Public Service
Kiran Bedi 1994 Government Services
Pandurang Athavale 1996 Community leadership
Tirunellai Seshan 1996 Government Services
Maheshweta Devi 1997 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts
Jockin Arputham 2000 Peace and International Understanding
Aruna Roy 2000 Community Leadership
Rajendra Singh 2001 Community Leadership
Sandeep Pandey 2002 Emergent Leadership
James Michael Lyngdoh 2003 Government Services
Shantha Sinha 2003 Government Services
Lakshminarayan Ramdas 2004 Peace and International Understanding
V. Shantha 2005 Public Service
Arvind Kejriwal 2006 Emergent Leadership
Palagummi Sainath 2007 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts
Mandakini Amte 2008 Community Leadership
Deep Joshi 2009 Uncategorized
Neelima Mishra 2011 Emergent Leadership
Harish Hande 2011 Uncategorized
Kulandei Francis 2012 Uncategorized

I could not find the name of MLV.

prabuddha · Post by **prabuddha** » 27 Jul 2016, 22:53

Please use https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_R ... rd_winners . Search the page for 'India'.

Among Indian performing artists, we have Satyajit Ray, MS, Shombhu Mitra and Ravi Shankar, before Sri TMK.

ramakriya · Post by **ramakriya** » 28 Jul 2016, 05:58

I would have been happy, but reading the citation of the award, I have no reason to celebrate

.

It is just going to make a lie told hundred time appear as taken as the truth! Just like how the history text twisted facts for decades making students totally unaware of the real history.

My 2 cents.

-Ramakriya

srutishree91 · Post by **srutishree91** » 28 Jul 2016, 08:35

Once upon a time, Smt MS was an honoured recipient.

The award has now gone to TMK. I can only think of Shakespeare's immortal lines, "O what a fall was there, my countrymen ! Then you, and I, and all of us fell..."

shankarank · Post by **shankarank** » 28 Jul 2016, 09:24

It is not a question of whether TMK deserves the award. It is more like whether the award deserves TMK. The answer is yes going by recent awardees like Kejriwal. This is another instance of a Trojan horse that will emerge as a Kentucky Derby running to the masters bidding.

SrinathK · Post by **SrinathK** » 28 Jul 2016, 10:07

Hearty congratulations to the maestro!

Now one thing I do agree on is that language is a very important factor and it is one key reason why many people in TN cannot enjoy CM. But on a side note the following questions remain unanswered:

When has Carnatic music ever been popular? Even a couple of centuries ago, musicians were still only a handful and nearly all of them survived because of royal patronage, even temple music. Once upon a time, virtually all our repertoire came from a few dozen disciples of the composers.

What about the impact of the rise of film music?

What about the influence of all other genres of music from Bollywood to Rock, Latin, Pop, Rhyhtm & Blues?

Music has migrated from the villages to Chennai for the same reason why everyone migrates to cities. What about that? Most musicians have always been poor (by most I mean Tier II and below, especially those outside the city), so why wouldn't they give it up?

What about the fact that the absolute majority of the people out there are not rasikas and just want something to get their blood flowing, or are just there for the movie?

How many people can tolerate a 2 hour RTP today?

Rasikas Challenge : Ye Rasikas! Successfully invite at least 10 friends in your own family or friends' circle who don't know a thing about CM to a full fledged series of CM concerts. The probability of all of them coming enthusiastically is less than that of finding an exact copy of you somewhere in the 92 billion light year observable universe, but still, try it. The winner of this challenge is worthy of next year's award.

And for a concession, all of them can be Brahmins also.

If that's too difficult, play a full length concert in your car radio on a long distance trip -- your passengers will only put up with it for your sake, and might tell you to tune to Suryan FM eventually, and if sufficiently pissed, will tell you to turn that damned thing off!

Fact is that most people out there are not open to Carnatic Music, and we are always the excluded category, and not the other way round. While it is true that musicians from other cities and communities aren't getting the same opportunities, this is again an issue WITHIN the CM circle. Outside this very small circle, the story is totally different. Most people don't even know what CM is exactly, let alone these kind of issues. Let's not feel all too guilty about ourselves and encourage the victim mentality, and instead face the fact that if it weren't for a handful of rasikas out there, this music would well and truly become extinct. For proof, refer to the rasikas.org posting stats.

SrinathK · Post by **SrinathK** » 28 Jul 2016, 10:29

Having said that, I greatly appreciate the initiatives taken by TMK to take CM to places beyond the stage and the response of the people is also very positive -- it takes courage and passion for a musician to go and do things outside one's comfort zone. Rasikas are also never mass produced, it takes a "Project Rasika" to make just one person a rasika. The intentions are noble. Initiatives must always be appreciated.

But I just can't agree with the reasoning given at times, especially one that plays the victim card and takes the guilt trip -- it's that kind of logic most women use to win an argument

(We men have rich experience with that

, and it's a big turn off if you don't know psychology) . Outside the CM circle, the reality is very different, and it is no different to what happens with classical music elsewhere in the world.

But this is not the first such initiative. As an example, similar is the story of CM going to the US and abroad as well, to think of the days when Lalgudi & Ramani toured the US for what, 300 USD, supported all by the passion of a handful of enthusiasts. Where a similar tour for the Beatles would have fetched millions... -- someone recommend Dr. VKV and co. for the award too.

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 28 Jul 2016, 11:20

someone recommend Dr. VKV and co. for the award too

This award is not for propagating or nurturing anything. That takes a lot of work and results show up after a long time (kind of like CM itself). This award is for "breaking down" barriers - so first make the case for these barriers and then ta da - claim to have broken them

SrinathK · Post by **SrinathK** » 28 Jul 2016, 13:04

@sureshvv, Using toxic shame as a motivation base is sure to erect new barriers (and I can see that it is creating barriers right here) amongst rasikas who would have otherwise enthusiastically welcomed the efforts. In fact I vaguely remember an article (posted somewhere here only) which claimed to express surprise that a lot of Brahmin rasikas appreciated these efforts (which included some sweeping statements about how rigid and condescending they are usually known to be) and couldn't believe the irony of the whole thing. Why create a barrier with those who support you in the name of dissolving another?

Some of us don't bother, some of us do feel it's an unfair statement to make. To accuse the current CM audience as the cause of it's "barriers" is bound to become a self fulfilling prophecy.

Purist · Post by **Purist** » 28 Jul 2016, 13:09

srutishree91 wrote:Once upon a time, Smt MS was an honoured recipient.

The award has now gone to TMK. I can only think of Shakespeare's immortal lines, "O what a fall was there, my countrymen ! Then you, and I, and all of us fell..."

MS was honoured under the category ' public service ' while that of TMK is 'Emergent Leadership' .
Where does a comparsion and a lament of 'fall' arise, I dont understand. Obviously the Foundation
would have vetted a number of worthy or eligible candidates for this purpose.

A modern trend (quite disturbing though (

) is people getting judgemental on every issue without
bothering to equip themeselves to be in a position to do so.
There could be perceived opinions on TMK vis a vis as a performist. It would be wrong to demean the
achievement of this award. Let's be more broad minded.

Congrats TMK on the honour bestowed.

Ananth · Post by **Ananth** » 28 Jul 2016, 13:12

Much of what I say below has been said better by many of you.
My personal opinion goes like,

1. Big misconception, even media fuelling it implicitly, that TMK has been honoured for his contribution to CM. (Like, for example, the sangita kalanidhi award)
2. The citation is wrong. You douse a fire, only if there is one. There is no issue of exclusivity or elitism in CM, rather, what we see is less and less appreciation and patronage even amongst the so-called privileged community.
3. There are very many other reasons for #2, like, the Dravidian revolution, the popularity of film music, ... Even in western (so called advanced) countries, it's only a very small percentage who appreciate WCM. And no one goes and claims a systematic shutting out of non-priveleged communities there. To my knowledge.

3. How many from the non-priveleged communities have shown interest in learning CM, and been shunted out? (As compared to, how many want medical seats and govt jobs, for example)

4. Finally, the award is generally given for life time achievement. Even assuming TMK has done just the right thing (not withstanding 2 and 3), he has just started out on his work. Too early!

And yeah, what it is resulting in, is a self fulfilling prophecy.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 28 Jul 2016, 13:38

My view of TMK is skewed. I have already missed too much of his music by paying too much attention to what others say rather than listening to him sing. If TMK's projects to take carnatic music to the beaches and the fishing communities had been a resounding success, I wouldn't expect to read about it here.

So... I have no clue how successful he has been or how much he as achieved. All I see is occasional beach concerts in the news and the listings. Of what may be going on below the threshold of column-inch covering, even if it is far more valuable, I have no clue. To my mind, awards should be given for established success, whereas this seems to be at the making-an-effort stage. Which may, or may not, be worthy of an international award. Is it? Fond as I am of rasikas.org, I know I am not going to get a balanced answer to that question here.

The effort I applaud of course. How many threads do we see on how to get people into concert halls? But when somebody actively does something about it, where is the praise?

I'm reflecting that I haven't done anything to support the effort. A foreign visitor on another forum said, "Hey, Nick: TMK is doing this thing in your city, why don't you go?" My answer was that I am not the target audience; I am converted already, more than twenty years ago. Why should be uncomfortable n the beach when I sit in comfortable halls regularly? Why should I go and listen to music that is probably, and very properly (why put people off at the first step?) aimed at newcomers, when I am already a paid-up subscriber to 2-hour-RTP-type heavy-weight music?

Sadly, it never occurred to me at the time that backsides on seats (or sand) equates not only to enjoyment of music, but also to support of the musicians, and the organisations/projects presenting them. It is not an individual ego thing: one more bum on a seat always helps. That principle may sometimes guide me to a concert hall, but it didn't guide me to be beaches.

I applaud certain artists that I don't particularly wish to attend for filling halls with people who, otherwise, might never go to a concert. I do think that TMK's efforts to reach people who wouldn't even get as far as the halls, should be appreciated. Whether it should, at this stage, be appreciated to the extent of an international award, I don't know: the award is in the hands and judgement of the givers. Unlike, say, The Music Academy, this organisation is not part of the Chennai/carnatic/indian-music scene or community, so I see no point in "lobbying" it through our forums as we regularly "lobby" the MA. Using quotes, because I have doubts that MA committee members even read our forum.

Whatever. I want to be positive towards TMK and the efforts of his organisation, including fellow musicians. I come, not to assassinate him, but to praise him. On the beaches, in the schools and villages, may his work, and the work of his like-minded fellows, continue and thrive.

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 28 Jul 2016, 13:38

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ofXIm1c7ZA

The headline is downright vulgar but the content is somewhat more palatable.

SrinathK · Post by **SrinathK** » 28 Jul 2016, 13:55

http://www.thehindu.com/news/interview- ... e#comments

His intentions are very praiseworthy, but let it look like it comes from a place of abundance, initiative and sharing rather than a place of guilt or blaming and it will be inclusive -- that's my only complaint. In this interview though, he has stuck to the former. Most rasikas here are only unhappy with that award statement sounds like the latter, but we appreciate his initiatives and him being awarded for it. But knowing our media, they will do what it takes to maximize shock value.

And while we're at that, on a side note let's also thank our respected AMS for his own contributions.

Rsachi · Post by **Rsachi** » 28 Jul 2016, 14:07

Folks, i made some recommendations after reasing the interview. Here they are:

A. Let TMK found and finance with at least a part of his prize/related earnings a movement, to be termed somewhat as "Free and Open Karnatic Music" or some such term.
B. Let there be social media avenues for people to show interest and enroll in this movement as audiences, learners and performers without recourse to their caste or religious inclinations.
C. This movement should become an ALTERNATIVE NARRATIVE of Carnatic music. Maybe, like the socialists tried to create classical arts with a socialist format in Russia long ago (read the Unfinished Journey by Menuhin), this will be an experiment. Let us support him in this endeavour.
D. Let TMK conduct around the world a Carnatic music festival WITHOUT ANY COMPOSITIONS AND BAGGAGE ASSOCIATED WITH RELIGION OR TRADITION. Let this be the watchword, as the best way to free CM from the ghetto is to break down the baggage of tradition and religion that TMK says is creating this ghetto.
Steps C. and D. will take 3 to 5 years to reach some shape.

E. Meanwhile, should TMK continue to perform the ghetto music with all its trappings and baggage within the ghetto? His conscience alone has to answer this question.

HarishankarK · Post by **HarishankarK** » 28 Jul 2016, 15:01

Sudha Raghunathan who has been doing a lot of charitable work through her Samudaya Foundation has not been given the award.
Looks like vidhwath and genuine good intentions are not enough; creating controversy is also needed to get the popularity to get the award.

vsarmaiitm · Post by **vsarmaiitm** » 28 Jul 2016, 16:15

Is this MagSaySay award based on self application or is it based on nomination / recommendation ?
If someone applies for it then it is based on your acceptance that you want/seek it (recognition). If it comes because someone else nominated, then it is different issue though in most cases the applicant needs to provide lot of information and it becomes case 1.

Rsachi · Post by **Rsachi** » 28 Jul 2016, 16:50

Dr Sarma, I think you "lobby" for it and get lots of people with name and credibility/locus standi to send your nomination with lots of supporting evidence like CV, certificates, news clips, book extracts etc.
For example the ither worthy recipient Bezwada Wilson was covered in Satyameva Jayate - the Aamir Khan show. I would his name would have been considered from that time.

People have told me that Satyarthi and many such recipients seem to have built their case on a narrative of extensive social evil in India and their significant/successful efforts to make a significant impact.

prabuddha · Post by **prabuddha** » 28 Jul 2016, 17:14

I still feel we need a Chanakya (aka Statesman) to bring Sri TMK back into the Carnatic fold, meaning get him to stop writing those articles for The HINDU and stop shooting off his mouth. Maybe a tall order.

While we wait for this Chanakya, I'd like to offer a couple data points for my fellow rasikas.

All over India people flee villages and run to the cities to escape the rigid caste hierarchy that still obtains in the villages. CM moved from the village ecosystem to Madras in the early part of the 20th century but has really become less inclusive than it was in the villages. A century later now, it needs sustenance by NRIs who are perhaps more socially retrogressive than resident Indians.

Karunanidhi (ex CM of Tamilnadu) quit learning and playing nadaswaram primarily because he was supposed to play bare breasted in keeping with the 'tradition'. He quit nadaswaram rather than buy into 'tradition'.

I watched my own kids listen to their music teacher with irritation when the teacher lectured them about the virtue of a sishya and how in their time they worshipped their guru, while collecting $25/half hour and $250/week for summer school when the teacher's guru made the rounds in summer. My kids quit CM and went on to western singing where they are doing quite well. According to them, they dont have to listen to double talk. I protested but had to give in.

LI'm reminded of Michael Corleone telling the senator who asked him for a big bribe to approve the casino license, "We are all part of the same hypocrisy, Senator".

Objectively speaking, Sri TMK does have a point.

SrinathK · Post by **SrinathK** » 28 Jul 2016, 18:26

prabuddha : I watched my own kids listen to their music teacher with irritation when the teacher lectured them about the virtue of a sishya and how in their time they worshipped their guru, while collecting $25/half hour and $250/week for summer school when the teacher's guru made the rounds in summer. My kids quit CM and went on to western singing where they are doing quite well. According to them, they don't have to listen to double talk. I protested but had to give in

Yikes.

There's nothing like having a few dependent students idolate you while you have them do your chores, never mind if they actually learnt anything productively, and then charge an arm and a leg, is it? And the best part is that there's no way to evaluate such teachers and make them accountable on the basis of their outputs and professionalism.

Now that you mention it, there was the story of a neighbour who sent her kid to mridangam class, and on the first day the kid got about 15 min of some random drumming, and was then charged a thousand bucks for it. Eek!

kssr · Post by **kssr** » 28 Jul 2016, 20:18

Hearty congratulations to Vidwan Sri.T.M.Krishna.
Hearty congratulations to the rasikas ,disciples and well wishers of the vidwan who must have taken a lot of effort in convincing the award committee.
There is a chance that President Ramon Magsaysay may be feeling a bit uncomfortable and turning in his grave - but I hope that he will overcome it with time. May his noble soul rest in peace.
Congrats again. May his service touch the lives of many underprivileged individuals. I hope that at least some of his prime disciples would come from these classes in the years to come.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 28 Jul 2016, 21:22

As obsessed as TMK is with his ideas and ideals, so are we the rasikA community, with ours. All deserve respect, because they are all genuine concerns.

All the posts, whatever the tone, have genuine concern about the state and future of CM at heart. Understood.

Every post has some valuable words, and they hit the nail on the head: CM commands all our concern. We are undivided in it--though not getting the kind of exposure for our care and cure of the ills that impede its health--as Krishna can, at his will. All that we do is thrash it all out here at Rasikas

TMK has the clout and ability to command attention. Good for him, good for all of us from the CM fold to have a spokesman so influential.

The problem though is his donning many different coats as a person. His role as a musician
gets submerged when that of a politician and writer rush in.

The award, as I see it is grounded in the idea that anyone who makes a difference in society by whatever his/her ideals are, and in their striving to execute them--makes a difference. A difference towards the betterment of society.

Krishna needn't have had anything to do with getting this award. His admirers (with and without influence might have put his name up). However, as many here in this thread have so effectively suggested, what Krishna is going to do in the future with his unlimited zeal
and dedication for CM (without bringing political stances into it) is what matters.

Again, the award is definitely all about serving the society in a remarkable way which makes a difference. He has as role models, Vinoba Bhave and Mother Theresa, MS and a horde of others who achieved that without any controversial thoughts. In their mission, they were not aware of the differences in creed or caste, one way or the other. May Krishna take inspiration from them and be one of the guardians and guardian angels of CM, without the impediment of notions coming in the way of his work