M. S. Anantharaman

Parur M. S. Anantharaman was born into the family of Parur Sundaram Iyer, whose playing and teaching created the Parur style. He learnt violin from his father from childhood, alongside his brother M. S. Gopalakrishnan.

The Parur style is known for combining Carnatic and Hindustani features, and Anantharaman carried that inheritance as both a soloist and accompanist. He performed in India and abroad and worked with musicians across both traditions.

He accompanied generations of Carnatic performers and helped sustain the Parur bani through his own family and students. His sons M. A. Sundaresan and M. A. Krishnaswami, and grandson Parur M. S. Ananthakrishnan, are among the musicians connected to this lineage.

Anantharaman received honours including Kalaimamani and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, and is remembered as a major elder of the Parur school.