Karur Chinnaswamiah

Karur Chinnaswamiah was born in 1888 in Karur to Narasa Iyer and Akhilandammal. His lineage is connected to the composer Kavi Matrubhutayya, and his elder brothers were Karur Pedda Devudu and Chinna Devudu.

He trained under his elder brother Karur Chinna Devudu Krishniah. He became one of the earliest violinists to use the full bow and was a popular violin accompanist of his time.

His shishya parampara included Musiri Subramanya Iyer, Varahur Muthuswami Iyer, Papa K. S. Venkataramaiah, Madurai Subramanya Ayyar, and G. N. Balasubramaniam.

For some years he ran a violin school at Esplanade, Madras, in association with his elder brother and K. N. Srikantaiah. He was awarded Sangita Kalanidhi by the Music Academy, Madras in 1950 and received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1964.