CPI(M) common secretary M.A. Baby seeks Bharat Ratna for percussion artists

“There just isn’t solely Umayalpuram Sivaraman. There had been Kishan Maharaj, Alla Rakha, Zakir Hussain, and Samta Prasad. But the best honour, just like the Bharat Ratna, has gone solely to Bhimsen Joshi, Bismillah Khan, M.S. Subbulakshmi, Ravi Shankar, and Lata Mangeshkar,” he mentioned throughout a dialog with Mr. Sivaraman at The Hindu workplace in Chennai on Sunday (July 13, 2025).

Mr. Baby’s friendship with Mr. Sivaraman dates again to a number of many years. He has organised many concert events and even persuaded Mr. Sivaraman to carry out for Kathak dancer Birju Maharaj. He added that the Music Academy and The Hindu ought to play a task in advocating Bharat Ratna recognition for percussion artists.

“This is essentially the most applicable platform to boost the query: why has a percussion artist by no means been given the Bharat Ratna? No one deserves it greater than Umayalpuram Sivaraman. He is already a Padma Vibhushan awardee. The music fraternity ought to increase its voice for the popularity that’s lengthy overdue. Why is the federal government not listening to such a sane voice within the subject of music and tradition?” he requested.

He additionally recalled an incident wherein tabla maestro Kishan Maharaj criticised the Centre for its miserly perspective towards conferring awards on musicians.

“Unless we stay for 80 or 85 years, no nationwide honour will come to us,” Mr. Baby quoted Kishan Maharaj as saying at an occasion in Delhi attended by Union Ministers.

The CPI(M) chief additional identified inadequacies and partialities within the choice of awardees. “Of course, there are real North Indian artists, however real South Indian artists haven’t been sufficiently thought of,” he mentioned.

Mr. Sivaraman mentioned that way back, he had urged to the Sangeet Natak Akademi that it institute an award in reminiscence of the legendary nagaswaram participant T.N. Rajarathinam Pillai.

“There is the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar. Institute the same award within the identify of Rajarathinam Pillai,” he mentioned. Mr. Baby supported this demand, saying Rajarathinam Pillai was equal in stature to Bismillah Khan.

Mr. Sivaraman, who has carried out with 4 generations of musicians, mentioned he was able to accompany the following technology as effectively. He additionally described the precise taking part in kinds required for accompanying nice musicians equivalent to Mudikondan Venkatrama Iyer, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, G.N. Balasubramanian, Madurai Mani Iyer, T.R. Mahalingam, and M.D. Ramanathan.

Speaking with regards to creativity, Mr. Sivaraman cited poet Kalidasa to clarify his philosophy: “Don’t suppose all the things outdated is nice; don’t criticise all the things new as unhealthy. People with knowledge will at all times choose the perfect from the outdated and the perfect from the brand new. That is my motto,” he mentioned.

N. Ram, former Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu, who launched the 2, mentioned the occasion was meant to spotlight and have fun an uncommon affiliation and a relationship that blossomed into enduring friendship.

He mentioned that Mr. Baby first encountered Mr. Sivaraman’s music in the course of the Emergency, when he was semi-underground and courted arrest. “His elder brother suggested him to go to a temple and hearken to concert events. That is how he first found the nice music of Mr. Sivaraman,” he mentioned.