Mahathi

Mahathi is a Carnatic musician and playback singer for film songs in several Indian languages.

Hailing from a family of musicians, S.Mahathi is a child prodigy. Her father Sri. Thiruvaiyaru . P. Sekar, a Vocalist is a disciple of Padmavibhushan Dr. M. Balamurali Krishna. Her mother Smt. Vasanthi Sekar is a Flautist, is the grand disciple of Sri. T. R. Mahalingam, Sri. N. Ramani and Smt. Kesi. She is the great grand daughter of the famous violinist "Sangeetha Kalanidhi" Pazhamaneri Swaminatha Iyer.

Mahathi moved to Kerala as a toddler, and did her schooling at chinmaya vidyalaya and Hari Sri Vidya Nidhi School, Trichur and Sacred Heart Convent, Cochin. She graduated in Chennai from Meenakshi College, Kodambakkam with English literature as her main stream.

Mahathi married a surgeon in 2008; the couple have a child.

Mahathi started identifying Classical Ragas at the tender age of 1 ½ years. This talent was identified by the parents during her father's concert at a temple in Palakad. Her parents nurtured her talent by teaching her more and more Ragas.

She was able to identify about 75 Carnatic Ragas at the age of 3. To test her talents, her father used to mix up Carnatic Swaras but Mahathi did not hesitate to identify the exact swaras of the Ragas. When she was 3 yrs years old she came to Chennai with her mother for the December Music Season (1988). At the Concert of Mandolin U. Shrinivas at the Mylapore Fine Arts, on December 25, Mahathi, sitting on her mother's lap kept identifying the Ragas played by the musicians on stage. The Secretary of the Sabha, who was sitting next to her mother arranged for a live demonstration of the child's talents, soon after the main item of the concert got over. Mahathi, without the slightest hesitation identified all the Ragas and enthralled the audience. This incident appeared in all the leading news papers at that time.

Mahathi underwent her initial musical training from her parents and from Deepa Gayatri of Trivandrum. When Mahathi's family moved to Trichur, she was put under the guidance of Sri. Mangad. K. Natesan. Mahathi underwent advanced Musical Training under the tutelage of Padma Bhushan “ Sangeetha Kalanidhi “ Madurai  Shri. T. N. Seshagopalan

Mahathi has been awarded the Central Govt Scholarship for Carnatic Music in 1994.She has sung for various Malayalam Devotional albums and Movies too.  Completing her 10th Standard, her family moved to Cochin, where she did her 11th in Sacred Heart Convent,Cochin.

Playback singing

Mahathi's introduction to playback singing came in 2003 when she sang a duet, "Iyyaiyyo Pudichirukku", with Hariharan, under the music direction of Harris Jayaraj in the Tamil movie, Saamy. Although she had a previous experience singing a song ("Enna Maranthalum") under the music direction of Ilaiyaraja, the movie for which it was recorded, Kaadhal Jaathi, was not released.

In 2008, Mahathi won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the song "Naeraa Varattuma" from the movie "Nenjathai Killadhe".

Mahathi has since sung for movies in the Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam languages.

She has more than 700 songs in all South Indian languages like Tamil, Telugu, Kannada,  Malayalam and Punjabi.

Mahathi ‘s Film Hits – to name a few

1.Aiyyao Pudichirukku- Saamy

2.Puyaley Puyale – Kovil

3. Kadhalikkum Asai / Vellai Kkara Mutham- Chellamay

4.Nee Vendum – Varnajaalam

5. Yammadi Athadi – Vallavan

6. Mudhal Mazhai – Bheema

7. Neduwaali – Osthe

8 .Jaabilammavo and Chanti- Telugu

9. Bisi Bisi, Hello Ondhu –Kannada

10. Nenje Nenje – Ayan

11. Thee Illai - Engeyum Kadhal

Television works

Mahathi presented the music based quiz program, "Aaha Paadalam" on Doordarshan Podhigai TV with Raaghav. In October 2005 she presented Ilaiyaraja's Live-in Concert organised by Jaya TV, "Andrum Indrum Endrum" with actor Parthiban.

Apart from hosting shows, Mahathi has also appeared as a judge for various music competition reality shows such as Kairali TV's "Gandharva Sangeetham" in 2013, and in seasons 2, 3, and 4 of Vijay TV's musical reality-talent shows Airtel Super Singer and Airtel Super Singer Junior. She was a guest judge in seasons 1, 2, and 3 of the Carnatic music reality-talent show Tanishq Swarna Sangeetham.

Mahathi has also recorded title songs for various TV serials in Vijay TV and Jaya TV, and several advertisement jingles for brands like Pothys, Chennai Silks, Sathya Agencies, RMKV,Ram Silks etc.

Titles, awards, and other recognition

• She had the Opportunity of performing for Dr.M.Bala Murali Krishna ‘s 75th Birthday Celebrations  with 75 Students of Mahathi Academy at The Music Academy in the presence of the honourable Ex Chief Minister of Tamil nadu   Selvi. J.Jaya Lalitha.   She has performed with Leading musicians , Music Directors at Prestigious venues.
• 1998, All Kerala ICSE Award for Light Music
• Best Singer Award from Ajantha Arts Academy for Aiyyayo Pudichirukku
• Best Debut Singer Award from M. G. R. - Sivaji Arts Academy
• Best Play Back Singer of 2008 from MGR SIVAJI ACADEMY, Kalaignar TV
• 2008, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Female Playback (for "Naeraa Varattuma" from Nenjathai Killadhe)
• 2008, ITFA Best Female Playback Award (for "Mudhal Mazhai" from Bheema)
• 2009, Isai Aruvi Best Playback Singer Award, Mudhal Mazhai, Bheema
• 2011, "The Chord Wizard" (title), WE Magazine, Chennai, India
• 2017, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Female Playback (for "Nenje Nenje" from Ayan)

Carnatic Music

• An “A” grade artiste of the All India Radio / Doordarshan.
• All Kerala ICSE Award for Light Music in 1996.
• All Kerala State First Award for Carnatic Music in 2001.
• Bala Bhaskara Award in 2001, for Excellence in Carnatic Music- VDS Arts Academy Chennai.
• Best Performer Award from Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha in 2005.
• Best Young Vocalist Award( For raga alapana) from the Music Academy, Chennai. 2006.
• Innisai Ilayavani -2006
• Innisai Ilavarasi -2007
• Youth Excellence Award from the Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer Trust in the field of Carnatic Music in Dec 2008.
• P. K. Chari Endowment Prize for the Best Concert of Gokulashtami Series 2010 from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai
• Sangeetha Seva Mani from Kanchi Kamakoti Peetadhipathi His Holiness Sri . Sri. Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal.
• Yuva kala Bharathi – Bharath Kalachar -2011
• Innisai Chudar Oli – 2013- Sydney
• Gana Kala Vipanchee -2014- Vipanchee Trust
• MS Subbalakshmi Endowment prize – Narada gana sabha, Chennai 2015
• G.Ramnathan Award – Sri Parthsarathy swamy sabha, Chennai,2015
• Vani Kala Nipuna – Thyaga Brhama Gana Sabha-2016
• ISAI PEROLI - Kartik Fine Arts 2017
• MUSIC ACADEMY 2018 - BEST PALLAVI PRIZE

Tours

           •           Toured all over Malaysia and Singapore for Classical Concerts in 2002.

           •           Toured Burma (Myanmar) for Star Night Shows with Sri. Gangai Amaran and Sri. Malaysia Vasudevan in 2002.

           •           Performed at Colombo, for Boy's Boom Boom night with Singers

           •           Vasundara Das, Manikka Vinayagam, Tippu, Karthik, Malathi Lakshman etc.

           •           Toured London, Colombo, Kandy for Light Music and ClassicalConcerts in 2004.

           •           Toured Germany, Sweden, Norway and Denmark for concerts and shows in 2005.

           •           Toured Dubai And Bahrain For Asianet Onam Festival Shows.(Malayalam),2006.

           •           Toured Australia (Melbourne & Sydney) With Dr. KJ Yesudas & Smt.Sujatha in Oct 2006. Performed at the Opera House Concert Hall Sydney. This performance is the First Tamil Show at the Opera House. 

           •           Performed for the Enfield Nagabooshani Amman temple, London with Sri. Harish Raghavendra in March, 2008.

           •           Performed at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium with Music Director Deva for a star nite show in February, 2008.

           •           Performed a live concert  for the Tamil new year  at Colombo for the Sri Lankan Govt Tamil channel Roopavahini.

           •           Toured All over the US in 2010 May- June for Concerts and Shows.

           •           Toured  U K for concerts in November 2010.

           •           Performed at Kuwait in May, 2011 for the Kuwait Tamil Sangam.

           •           Performed a Live Concert with Dr. K.J.Yesudas At Kualalumpur, in 2012, June.

           •           Toured the US in Oct- Nov 2012 For concerts and Light Music Shows in association with Tamil Isai Mandrams 

           •           Toured Australia in 2013 March for Concerts and was conferred the title Isai Chudar Oli by the Indian Arts Academy.

           •           Performed fusion concerts at London and Toronto in 2013 March with Sri.Stephen Devassy and Sri. Rajesh Vaidya.

           •           Performed At Dubai For EMITAA in September 2013.

           •           Performed at Doha for Star Nite Show in October 2013.

           •           Toured UK, USA, Canada in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

           •           Toured UAE 2017

           •        Toured USA and Canada in 2019 for Cleveland Aradhana Festival

           •         Bharathi Kala Mandram, Toronto

           •        Indian Fine Arts Society, San Diego