Annavarapu Ramaswamy

Sri Annavarapu Ramaswamy, fondly known as Annavarapu, is a senior top-ranking violinist of Carnatic music whose musical journey spans over eight remarkable decades. Born on 23rd March 1926 in Somavarappadu, West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh, he hails from a distinguished family of musicians. His father was a Nadaswaram Vidwan, and his brother, the late Sri Annavarapu Gopalam, was a renowned Ghatam artist and A.I.R. staff member. Ramaswamy began learning music at a very young age under Sri Maganti Jagannadham Chowdary, a musician from his native village. He later became the disciple of the great Sri Parupalli Ramakrishnayya Pantulu of Vijayawada — a legendary figure and member of the Music Academy Experts Committee, who also trained the iconic Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna. This rigorous training in the Gurukula Sampradaya laid the foundation for Annavarapu's lifelong devotion to Carnatic music. A stalwart of All India Radio, Vijayawada, since its inception in 1948, he served the station for 38 years until his retirement in 1986. His playing style, characterized by depth, clarity, and adherence to tradition, made him a household name. Throughout his career, Sri Annavarapu has accompanied virtually every top Carnatic and Hindustani musician of his era, including his own guru Sri Parupalli Ramakrishnayya Pantulu, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, G.N. Balasubramaniam, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, T.R. Mahalingam, S. Balachander, Dr. Balamuralikrishna, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Pandit Vinayakrao Patwardhan, and Pandit Jasraj, among many others. He has represented Indian classical music on global stages in countries such as the USA, Canada, UK, France, Singapore, Malaysia, Muscat, Bahrain, and Sri Lanka, through performances, lectures, and workshops. A creative innovator, he has composed several Varnams and Kritis, and invented new ragas like Vandana and Sri Durga, as well as unique talas like Trinetradi Tala and Vedadi Tala. His compositions and performances continue to be broadcast on AIR and Doordarshan. A selfless teacher, Sri Annavarapu has been providing free music education in the Gurukula tradition to aspiring musicians for over 70 years. His students hold prominent positions in AIR, music colleges, and private institutions across India and abroad. Several are CCRT scholarship holders. He was instrumental in the establishment of the music college in Vijayawada, a longstanding dream he pursued tirelessly. In honor of his guru, he has organized Guru Aradhana festivals twice a year for the past 66 years and even erected a bronze statue of his guru in Vijayawada. Demonstrating his philanthropic spirit, he also donated a four-room building to the Government Primary School in his native village. ________________________________________ Major Awards and Honours • Padma Shri – Govt. of India (2021) • National Sangeet Natak Akademi Award – Govt. of India • State Sangeeta Akademi Award, Hamsa Award, and Dr. M. Balamurali Krishna Memorial Puraskar – Govt. of Andhra Pradesh • Mysore Chowdiah Award (2019), Subbamamba Award, T.S.R Kalaparishat Award, Planzerry Sankaranarayanan Memorial Award, Lifetime Achievement Award – Rotary International, and more ________________________________________ Select Titles Conferred • Saptagiri Sangeeta Vidvanmani (TTD) • Vayunadha Saraswathi, Nadasudharnava, Nada Chintamani, Nada Nidhi, Vijaya Kala Visarada, Sangeeta Vidhya Nidhi – among many others