Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship to Shri R. Sathyanarayana, at the investiture ceremony of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships and Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards-2013, at Rashtrapati Bhavan
R. Sathyanarayana (9 May 1927 – 16 January 2020) was a musicologist and dance scholar from Mysore, India. In 2018, Sathyanarayana received the Padma Shri civilian honour from the President of India for his contribution to the field of music.[1][2]
Education
Dr R Sathyanarayana or Mahamahopadhyaya Dr R Sathyanarayana, as he was known in the scholarly circles, was erudite. His degrees ranged from a Master's in chemistry from the University of Mysore to a PhD and multiple D.Litt. degrees from various universities, including (but not exclusively) Mysore University, Hampi University (Honoris Causa) and Gangubhai Hangal Music University of Mysore.[3]
Senior Fellow, Ministry for Tourism and Culture, New Delhi.
Certificate of Honour: International Biographical Centre, Cambridge.
Golden Jubilee Award, Mysore University, for highest creative research in Fine Arts and Languages (three times)
Highest Award for lecture Demonstration, 53rd Music Conference, Music Academy, Madras.
Fellow, Member etc. of numerous learned bodies in India and Abroad
Career
Between 1949 and 1984, he taught chemistry at the Sarada Vilas College, and also taught Karnataka music. He wrote treatises in Sanskrit language on dance and music. Pundarikamala, Shruti: The Scalic Foundation, Suladis and Ugabhogas of Karnataka Music, and Karnataka Sangeetha Vahini were some of his notable works. He was a public speaker on Indological disciplines, and was an active participant in Government of India sponsored music festivals and international seminars. He was the President of the Indian Music Congress.[2][4]
Cultural delegations
One-Man Cultural Mission to Europe and UK, sponsored by Government of India.
Leader of Government of India Delegation of Musicians and Musicologists to International Seminar on Indian Music at London sponsored by Government of India and UK University Circuit for Indian Classical Music.
Delegation of Musicologists to USSR for Festival of India in Moscow for Seminar on Indian Music.
Delegation of Musicologists to Festival of USSR in Delhi for Seminar on Indian Music.
Delegation of Musicologists to China, Singapore and Malaysia by Government of India.
Participation
Participation in other conferences and seminars on Indian Music abroad.
President, Director, Coordinator, Moderator at numerous conferences on music and dance.
Chairman of council of Experts committee of numerous conferences on music and dance.
Keynote address and papers presented at conferences, seminars, workshops on Indian music and dance.
Papers presented at conferences and seminars on Agama, Purana, Ayurveda (Indian medicine), Astrology, Yoga Shastra, Mantra Shastra, Psychology and Acoustics in relation to Indian music and dance.
Service and positions held
Close associations with many organizations devoted to the promotion of Indian music and Dance and of Indian Culture in several capacities.
President Nupura School of Dance and Nityanrutya, National Dance Festival.
Director, Regional Centre for Research and Development in Music and Dance (Sangeetha Nrtya Academy) Centre for Musical Research, Kayavarohan Teertha Samaj.
Member of executive committee of several organizations.
Professor of Musicology, Sri Varalakshmi Academy.
Member, advisory committee for dictionaries, encyclopaedias and other lexical works.
All India Radio: Member of Programme Advisory Committee, Recruitment committee, Jury for Annual National Awards.
University Grants Commission: Member, Visiting Committee.
Ex.Member, Karnataka Sangita Nrutya Academy.
Member: Ph.D. committee, Board of Studies in Performing Arts, Board of examiners, Examiner for post graduate and Ph.D. examinations in music of several Universities, Guide for Ph.D.
Society for Indian Classical Music and Dance: Member of Steering Group, Action Committee.
Syndicate member of Karnataka State Gangubai Hanagal Music and Performing Arts University, Mysore
President: Indian Music Congress
Advisory Committee, Percussive Arts Centre.
Founder Director, Srividya Pratishthaan, Foundation to Preserve, Perpetuate and Disseminate the Knowledge of Srividya Tantra.
Several other art institutions all over India and abroad in various capacities
Books written
Critical edition of Sanskrit treatises on music and dance
Abhinava Bharata Sarasangraha of Mummadi Chikkabhupala
Sangeetharatnakara of Sharngadeva
Sangeethasudhakara of Haripaladeva
Ragarathnakara of Gandharvaraja
Chaturdandi Prakashika of Venkatamakhin
Ragalakshanam of Mudduventkatamakhin
Veenalakshana of Parameshvara
Sadragachandrodaya of Pandarika Vitthala
Ragamala of Pandarika Vitthala
Ragamanjari of Pandarika Vitthala
Nartananirnaya of Pandarika Vitthala
Hridayaprakasha
Hridayakautukam of Hridayanarayanadeva
Vivekachitamani of Nijagunashivayogi [Chapter on music]
'Nandanavana': Felicitation Volume dedicated to Sri Raghavendra Swamiji
Souvenir: Vishnudigambar Paluskar Centenary Seminar on Hindusthani Music
Suryanamaskara of Sri Raghavendra Swamiji [Kannada]
Pranayama of Sri Raghavendra Swamiji
Shatkarmavidhi of Sri Raghavendra Swamiji
Angamardhana of Sri Raghavendra Swamiji
Dehaswasthyakkagi Yogasanagalu of Sri Raghavendra Swamiji
Rishi Gandharva : Commemorative Volume on Sangeetha Rathna Kanchana Venkatasubrahmanyam
Historiography of Indian Arts [Music and Dance]: Insights
Nadabharathi
Miscellaneous work
More than 170 research papers on various aspects on music and dance presented at conferences, seminars, congresses etc., and others published in periodicals.
More than 200 articles on music, dance, education, philosophy, yoga, tantra, mantra and other Indological disciplines.
Total publication exceeds some 20,000 printed pages. Music, dance and cognate Indological fraternity have treasured these publications to perform, propagate and preserve the culture and traditions of the country.
Awards and honors
Academi Rathna fellowship award by Sangit Natak Academi, New Delhi.
Rajya Sangita Vidwan Award from Government of Karnataka, 2011
Madras Music Academy, Chennai, Musicologist Award
Sangit Natak Academy Award for the Year 2008
Bharatamuni Samman 2012 from Nalanda Dance Research Centre, Mumbai.
Madokaram Narasimhachar memorial 'Lifetime Achievement Award' 2011
Karnataka State Rajyotsava Award
Veena Rajarao International Award for Excellence in Music
Karnataka Sangeetha Nrutya Academy Award
Honorific titles include:
Mahamahopadhyaya
Rashtrabhooshana
Sangeetha Kala Rathna
Sangeetha Shastra Sarasvathi
Sangeetha Sudhakara
Ganagnanapayonidhi
Ganashastravidyavaridhi
Geethanatyakovida
Karnataka Kala Tilaka
Vedashri
Samhitacharya
Sangita Shastra Shiromani
Abhinava Bharatacharya and others#
Honorific Shawls, ponnadais, Citations and Birudupatras from many Jagadguru Peethas and Mathas.
Honoured in innumerable Conferences and Seminars on Music and Dance.
Social and Cultural Organizations.
Various universities and other academic bodies in India
Honoured at World Kannada Conference
Guest of Honour at Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the founding of USSR (Tashkent) and of Silver Jubilee of Composers Union of Music USSR (Samarkand)
Felicitated on the eve of International Music Seminar (USSR and India) Moscow.
International Man of the year 2000, Cambridge, UK
Director of Research in Music and Arts, ABC, US
Man of International achievements, US
Dr. R. Sathyanarayana Abhinandana Samithi Felicitation (formed by the entire artist community and cultural institutions of Karnataka)[5]