T. Rukmini

Vidushi Smt T RUKMINI was an eminent Indian Carnatic Classical Music VIOLINIST. T Rukmini was a Science Graduate from Bangalore Maharani’s College for Women. During her college days, she won the first prize in instrumental music competitions which was held as part of India’s Youth Fest in Delhi during the year 1954-55. Rukmini’s first major concert was with the flute maestro T R Mahalingam in the Town Hall at Bangalore, when she was16 years old. Rukmini has served in the field of Carnatic music for over 50 years. She has provided violin support to several senior artists as well as younger musicians. She has given vocal concerts and has also provided vocal support for Bharatanatyam dance programmes. Rukmini is a Top graded violin artiste and A grade vocalist. Smt.T.Rukmini grew up in Bangalore, and learnt violin from Vidwan R.R.Keshavamurthy. TB Narasimhachar played an important role in bringing her talent to the notice of many great vidwans of those years and provided her with many performing opportunities during her early years. In spite of the passage of years, Smt Rukmini recalled quite a few interesting anecdotes. Here are excerpts from her interview: “TBN had inducted my brother to be part of the Malleswaram Sangeetha Sabha management. My brother, T.K.Swami, played an active role in promoting my career. As a young girl, I had training in both vocal music and violin. TBN was the person who identified my potential and advised me to give priority to violin. He used to advise me to listen to concerts regularly and would see that I comply with his advice. This helped me in advancing my musical education. TBN would introduce me to many musicians who visited Bangalore. Sometimes they would ask me to play for them to judge my abilities. TBN had told so many people about me that once when he introduced me to Palghat Mani Iyer in person, the great mridangist said “Oh, I had heard that there was a girl from Bangalore who played the violin very well. Is that you?!”. I recall with great pride, a benefit performance arranged by Rama Seva Mandali at Town Hall, Bangalore with my accompaniment for the great flutist Sri.T.R.Mahalingam. Before I got on to the stage, a lot of people warned me with concern, about Mali’s genius as well as eccentricity. TBN who accompanied me to the performance infused confidence in me, before the performance and encouraged me. On that day Mali started the performance with a Dikshither’s kriti in Kamas and went on to play Ragam- Tanam- Pallavi with ragamalika swaras. I played so well that Mali was so impressed as to remark at the middle of the concert over the microphone that-“ This young lady is as good as any male accompanist. She accompanied me so well to-day. She has a very bright future in music.” After that performance he chose my accompaniment for many concerts in India-In Bombay,Shanmugananda Sabha,Bharathiya Music & Fine Arts Society, and other places,Rama Seva Mandali,Bangalore,where Mali’s concert would be arranged almost every year on Rama Navami, in Mysore, Madras,to mention a few and Abroad like New York-USA. TBN arranged many concerts in Madras. A few that I remember particularly are the concert of the then popular artiste, Late Smt.Savitri Ganesan, and a vocal concert at the Mahatmaji Seva Sangam,Triplicane in the presence of the famous writer,Vai.Mu.Kodanayaki Ammal. TBN took me and introduced me to many famous artistes of Madras, including Papa Vekatramiah,Radha Jayalakshmi and MLV. MLV referred to me as the little girl from Bangalore When he passed away, his family organized my vocal program in his memory, rather than a violin concert! Knowing that todi was his favorite raga, I actually sang Todi as the main piece that day. TBN was such a great listener that he used to always sit in the front row and listen to all concerts. If I am in this position in the field of music today, it is due to the blessings and encouragement of Sri TBN. Inputs culled from: https://saragrahitbn.wordpress.com/.../01/vidushi-t-rukmini/