FIELD OF MUSIC : CARNATIC CLASSICAL – MRIDANGAM (‘A’ GRADE)

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ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION

M.A., Music - Vocal (Padmavathi Mahila Vishva Vidyalayam, Tirupathi)

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION

1. Diploma - Mridangam (Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad)
2. Diploma - Vocal (Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad)
3. Diploma - Vocal (Andhra University, Visakhapatnam)
4. Diploma - Light Music (Andhra University, Visakhapatnam)

DEPARTMENTAL  _{(ANDHRA PRADESH PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION (APPSC))}

1. Executive Officers Test
2. Sub-Ordinate Officers – Part I
3. Sub-Ordinate Officers – Part II

PROFESSION

1. Working as Lecturer in Mridangam at M.R.Government College of Music and Dance, Vizianagaram since 1992
2. Empanelled Artist by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), New Delhi
3. 'A' Grade Artist in Mridangam by All India Radio and Doordarshan

TUTELAGE

1. Initial Training  :  Sri Nemani Somayajulu
2. Advanced Training   :  Sri Mullapudi Srirama Murthy (and) Sri Kaaraikudi R Mani, Chennai
3. Vocal  :  Dr. Mandapaka Sarada and Smt. S.Chandramani
4. Spiritual Guru  :  Sri Mataji Tyagisananda Puri

PARENTs

My father (Late) Sri M.V.J. Krishnamurty was a drama-artist and was an officer in the Indian Railways. My Mother Smt.Vimala, is a Singer; participated in many music-programs of the AIR and the Door Darshan for about two decades.

My maternal uncle, Sri Vaduguru Ramarao, a noted light-music singer is a retired Chief Manager from Bata. He also sang for some films.

SISTERs

My eldest sister Dr.Mandapaka Sarada, M.A., Ph.D., is a vocalist of repute in classical as well as light music. She is working as an Associate Professor of Music in the Andhra University. She is a noted artist familiar to all through the AIR and the Door Darshan.

My elder sister Smt.Suri Chandramani is a vocalist, veena-artist and a music-teacher. She is a performer in the AIR and the DoorDarshan.

BROTHER

My elder Brother Sri Mandapaka Srinivas, is an officer in the Railways. He is a gold-medallist in his education and his academic degrees are B.Sc., M.A., IRPM and B.L.

GRAND PARENTS

Mandapaka Nagalakshmi's maternal grandfather Sri Vaduguru Neelakantha Sastry was a disciple of Sri Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar. He was equally proficient on the Mridangam and in Vocal music. He was an 'Upasaka' of the divine Mother. Besides being a musician and spiritualist, he was good at astrology also. He was a composer of 10 - 12 Harikatha's too.

The paternal grandfathers and great grandfathers were well known poets, known as 'Mandapaka poets'.