S. Rajam

Shri Rajam was a great man - simple, unassuming, kind and helpful. I knew him from 1987 when I returned from Delhi and got associated with Sruti. I shall remember the many hours spent with him discussing articles for Sruti etc.

The collage above shows Rajam wirh Ramya at Ramya's wedding and a couple of snaps taken in his ouse when Vimala and I visited him.

The Hindunoted his passing in its issue of the 30th January 2010 (see copy below).

"Musician S. Rajam passes away
Special Correspondent
CHENNAI: Senior musician S. Rajam, who drew the commonly recognised portraits of the Carnatic Trintiy, died here on Friday. He was 91 and is survived by two sons and two daughters.
Rajam was the elder brother of S. Balachandar, renowned veena player. Musician, teacher and an artist, it was Rajam who popularised the compositions of Koteeswara Iyer, who composed a song in each of 72 ‘melakartha ragas.’
He also promoted vivadhi ragas and popularised kshetra keerthanas. He had also acted in three films.
He was closely associated with the Music Academy and was a member of the expert committee. A recipient of Sangeetha Nataka Academy award, he was also conferred the Sangita Kalaacharya award of the Academy."

Jayaraman