Nalina V Mohan

Musical Lineage & Initiation Vidushi Smt. Nalina Mohan was born on 2nd March 1963 to the scholarly couple Sri Venkatarama Puranik and Smt. Rajalakshmi, in a traditional family steeped in the heritage of Samavedic scholarship and music. Introduced to Sanskrit, music and the finer nuances of Indian culture from a very young age, Nalina imbibed strong traditional values that laid the foundation for her growth as an accomplished and erudite musician. Formal Training & Gurus Nalina began her Carnatic music training at the age of six under the guidance of her elder sister, Smt. Bhagyalakshmi & brother in law Gamaki Kadba Subramanya. She was subsequently fortunate to come under the tutelage of the renowned violin maestro Sangeetha Vidyasagara Sri R.R. Keshava Murthy. She also received valuable guidance from veteran violinist Ganakalabhushana Sri Anoor S. Ramakrishna. Nalina later received training from the legendary Padmabhushana Sangeetha Kalanidhi Dr. R.K. Srikantan and Ganakalashree Sri H.S. Sudhindra. Style & Musicality Nalina Mohan’s violin playing is distinguished by a fine balance of artistry and technical excellence. Her shuddha shayi and rich manodharma reflect her depth of musical understanding and individuality as an artiste. Equally accomplished as an accompanist and soloist, she brings sensitivity, measured responses and remarkable anticipation to her performances. Her ability to complement and enhance a vocalist’s music while maintaining her own musical identity has made her a highly sought-after violin accompanist. Musical Journey Today, Smt. Nalina Mohan is a much sought-after Carnatic violinist, performing both as a soloist and accompanist. She has regularly featured in major music festivals and prestigious concerts in India and abroad. She is an accomplished A-Top Grade Violinist of All India Radio and Doordarshan and has participated on numerous occasions in the National Programme of Music of All India Radio and Doordarshan and Akashavani Sangeeth Sammelan. Over the course of her illustrious career, Nalina Mohan has accompanied several eminent stalwarts of Carnatic music, including: Dr. R.K. Srikantan, Prof. T.R. Subramaniam, Sangeetha Kalanidhi T.K. Govinda Rao, Dr. N. Ramani, Bombay Sisters Smt. Lalitha & Saroja, Sikkil Sisters Neela & Kunjumani, Dr. R. Vedavalli, Rudrapatnam Brothers, Dr. K. Vageesh, Sri R.K. Padmanabha, Sri S. Shankar, O.S. Thyagarajan, Sangeetha Kala Ratna M.S. Sheela, Smt. Aruna Sairam, Smt. G.N. Nagamani Srinath, Dr. T.S. Sathyavathi, Sri Neyveli Santhanagopalan, Smt. Sudha Raghunathan, Rajkumar Bharathi, T.M. Krishna, Smt. S. Soumya, Smt. Ranjani & Gayathri, Chitraveena Ravikiran, Sikkil Mala Chandrashekar, Smt. Nithyasri Mahadevan, Jayanthi Kumaresh, Malladi Brothers , Sri S. Shashank, A.S.Murali and Abhishek Raghuram among many others. Family Support Nalina Mohan attributes an important part of her musical journey to the unwavering support and encouragement of her spouse, Sri N.S. Mohan, a retired civil engineer who served as an Executive Engineer in the State Public Works Department and is himself an exponent of Bharatanatyam. His constant encouragement and wholehearted support have been instrumental in nurturing Nalina’s musical pursuits and enabling her talent to flourish. Prizes, Awards & Honours Smt. Nalina Mohan has received several prestigious awards and titles in recognition of her musical accomplishments: * Parur Sundaram Iyer Endowment Award for Best Violin Accompaniment from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai. * First Prize in Violin from the Karnataka Sangeetha Nrithya Academy, Bangalore, Malleshwaram Sangeetha Sabha and Bangalore Gayana Samaja. * State Award for securing I Rank in M.A. (Music), awarded by the State Youth Centre, Bangalore. * First Prize in Pallavi Singing, reflecting her proficiency in vocal music. * Best Violinist Award from Bangalore Gayana Samaja. * Nadajyothi Puraskar from Nadajyothi Sri Thyagaraja Swamy Bhajana Sabha, Bangalore. * Conferred the title “Ganakala Shree” after presiding over the Young Musicians’ Music Conference conducted by the Karnataka Ganakala Parishath at its annual music conference. * “Satya Shree” title from Sri Vani Institute of Music, Bangalore. * “Swabhanu” Puraskara from Swabhanu School of Music, Bangalore. * “Manoranjani Prashasthi” from Manoranjani Saamskritika Vedike, Bangalore. * “Gandharva Vamsha Nidhi” from Vamshi Academy of Music® Trust, Bangalore. * Conferred the title “Swaralayashrunga” by Suswaralaya College of Music, Bangalore. * “Parimala Prashasthi” from Parimala Geleyara Balaga, Bangalore. * B.S. Chandrakala Memorial Swaralipi Award and the title “Swarabhooshini” from Bangalore Gayana Samaja. * “Purandara Naada Puraskara” from Sri Purandara Dasa Memorial Trust, Bangalore. * "Sri Rama Karunya" Award from Sri Vani Kala Kendra, Bangalore * Nalina has enriched many CDs and cassettes with her violin accompaniment. She has released her own CD "Waves of melody" which features her double violin performance. * Presently Nalina is one of the Executive Committee Members of the Karanataka Ganakala Parishat. With a career spanning decades, Smt. Nalina Mohan continues to be recognised for her distinctive violin artistry, deep musical scholarship and versatility as both a soloist and an accompanist, carrying forward the rich tradition of Carnatic music with dedication and grace