S. R. Janakiraman

S.R.Janakiraman is a Carnatic vocalist and a musicologist. He was born in Lalgudi, Tamil Nadu on July 12, 1928 to Rangaswami Iyer and Gowri Ammal.
He started learning Carnatic music in 1938 and learnt several compositions and under Thanneerpalli Krishnamurthi at Trichirapalli.In Chennai, he continued his musical training from masters including Tiger Varadachariar, Tiruppamburam Swaminatha Pillai and T Brinda. Other stylistic influences include teachers such as Musiri Subrahmanya Iyer and Kalpakam Swaminathan. On the side of musicology he was trained by Prof.Sambamoorthy and P.K.Rajagopala Iyer.
He began his career teaching musicology at Madanapalli and Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. He headed the Department of Musicology at Sri Venkateswara College of Music, Tirupati. After retirement, he served as a research scholar and was part of the experts committee at the Madras Music Academy. He also served as the Principal at the Teachers College of Music in the footsteps of his guru.
He is well known for his lecture demonstrations and a unique presentation style combining knowledge of lakshana and theory with the ability to practically demonstrate them. He is also known for his wide and varied repertoire which includes rare and complex tana varnas, some of the rarer compositions of Muttusvami Dikshitar and Subbarama Dikshitar, Compositions of Annamacharya. Like his teacher Tiger Varadachariar he belongs to the school of musicians who believe that ancient and medieval ragas can be resurrected successfully and does not believe in the notion of vivadi dosha. He includes several vivadi ragas as part of his repertoire.
He is a recipient of several awards including the Sangita Kala Acharya (The Music Academy), Kalaimamani from the Tamil Nadu Government and the Sangeet Natak Academy Award of the Government of India and the Padma Shri

He is also a composer and has composed varnams, Jatisvarams and Lakshana Gitams in various ragas including Vandanadharini, Saraswathi and Amrtavarshini and Gopriya.

• Sangita Sampradaya Pradarsini — English translation of Lakshana Sangraha and Pracina Paddhati, 2010
• Sangita Sastra Saramu — A musicology text in Telugu
• Raga Lakshanas — A publication of the Music Academy Madras
• Ragas of Saramrta — A publication of the Music Academy Madras
• Essentials of Musicology — A short concise text dealing with the key elements of musicology
• Lakshana Gitas — Editor — A publication of the Music Academy Madras
• Ragas at a glance — A publication of Carnatica

• The significance of the divisions of Pallavi, Anupallavi and Caranam JMAM
• Desi Suladi of Annamacarya, JMAM
• Pratimadhyama and its evolution, JMAM

• Varnas through the ages
• 72-Mela ragamalika of Mahavaidhyanatha Iyer
• Pearls of South Indian Ragas — A CD from Brhaddhvani