N. Rajam

Dr. N. Rajam was born into a musical family and learnt Carnatic violin early before moving into Hindustani music. Her father and guru A. Narayana Iyer gave her the foundation that later allowed her to reshape the violin's North Indian concert identity.

She came to the Hindustani stage as a teenager and became associated with gayaki ang, especially a violin adaptation of khayal singing. This approach treated the violin not simply as a bowed instrument but as a voice capable of sustained meend, nuanced intonation, and vocal-style phrasing.

Rajam served for decades at Banaras Hindu University, where she was Professor and Dean in the Faculty of Performing Arts. Her teaching and concert career helped make the Hindustani violin a serious solo platform for later generations.

Her honours include the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and the Padma Vibhushan conferred in 2026.