| Year |
Recipient |
Field |
| 2026 |
Jayanthi Kumaresh |
Veena Player |
| 2025 |
R. K. Shriramkumar |
Violinist |
| 2024 |
T. M. Krishna |
Vocalist |
| 2023 |
Bombay Jayashri |
Vocalist |
| 2022 |
G. J. R. Krishnan, Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi |
Violinists |
| 2021 |
Thiruvarur Bakthavathsalam |
Mridangam player |
| 2020 |
Neyveli Santhanagopalan |
Vocalist, Composer |
| 2019 |
S. Sowmya |
Vocalist |
| 2018 |
Aruna Sairam |
Vocalist, Collaborator, Composer |
| 2017 |
N. Ravikiran |
Slide instrumentalist (Chitravina), Vocalist, Composer (Returned in 2024)[note 1] |
| 2016 |
A. Kanyakumari |
Violinist |
| 2015 |
Sanjay Subrahmanyan |
Vocalist |
| 2014 |
T. V. Gopalakrishnan |
Vocalist / Mridangam player |
| 2013 |
Sudha Ragunathan |
Vocalist |
| 2012 |
Trichur V. Ramachandran |
Vocalist |
| 2011 |
Trichy Sankaran |
Mridangam player |
| 2010 |
Bombay Sisters (C. Saroja and C. Lalitha) |
Vocalists |
| 2009 |
Valayapatti A. R. Subramaniam |
Thavil player |
| 2008 |
A. K. C. Natarajan |
Clarinet player |
| 2007 |
Palghat R. Raghu |
Mridangam player |
| 2006 |
T. N. Seshagopalan |
Vocalist, Veena Player, Harikatha artiste |
| 2005 |
M. Chandrasekaran |
Violinist |
| 2004 |
Vellore G. Ramabhadran |
Mridangam player |
| 2003 |
T. V. Sankaranarayanan |
Vocalist |
| 2002 |
Sikkil Sisters (Neela & Kunjumani) |
Flute players |
| 2001 |
Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman |
Mridangam player |
| 2000 |
Vedavalli |
Vocalist |
| 1999 |
T. K. Govindarao |
Vocalist |
| 1998 |
Sheik Chinna Moulana |
Nadaswaram player |
| 1997 |
M. S. Gopalakrishnan |
Violinist |
| 1996 |
N. Ramani |
Flautist |
| 1995 |
R. K. Srikantan |
Vocalist |
| 1994 |
T. K. Murthy |
Mridangam player |
| 1993 |
Mani Krishnaswami |
Vocalist |
| 1992 |
Thanjavur K. P. Sivanandam |
Veena Player |
| 1991 |
Nedunuri Krishnamurthy |
Vocalist |
| 1990 |
D. K. Jayaraman |
Vocalist |
| 1989 |
Maharajapuram Santhanam |
Vocalist |
| 1988 |
T. Viswanathan |
Flautist |
| 1987 |
B. Rajam Iyer |
Vocalist |
| 1986 |
K. V. Narayanaswamy |
Vocalist |
| 1985 |
S. Ramanathan |
Vocalist / Composer |
| 1984 |
Doreswamy Iyengar |
Veena player |
| 1983 |
Sripada Pinakapani |
Vocalist |
| 1982 |
Embar S. Vijayaraghavachariar |
Harikatha exponent |
| 1981 |
T. M. Thiagarajan |
Vocalist |
| 1980 |
T. N. Krishnan |
Violin player |
| 1979 |
K. S. Narayanaswamy |
Veena player |
| 1978 |
Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna |
Vocalist, Composer, Poet, Violinist / Viola player, Mridangam artist, Kanjira player, Collaborator , Music Director and Actor |
| 1977 |
M. L. Vasanthakumari |
Vocalist |
| 1976 |
T. Brinda |
Vocalist |
| 1975 |
Rallapalli Ananta Krishna Sharma |
Composer / Vocalist |
| 1974 |
No Award Given (Bicentennary of Muttuswami Dikshitar's birth) [3] |
N/A |
| 1973 |
Balasaraswati |
Bharatanatyam exponent |
| 1972 |
Pichu Sambamoorthi |
Musicologist |
| 1971 |
Papanasam Sivan |
Composer / Vocalist |
| 1970 |
D. K. Pattammal |
Vocalist |
| 1969 |
Madurai Srirangam Iyengar |
Vocalist |
| 1968 |
M. S. Subbulakshmi |
Vocalist |
| 1967 |
Palghat Mani Iyer |
Mridangam player |
| 1966 |
No Award Given (Bicentennary of Tyagaraja's birth) [3] |
N/A |
| 1965 |
Alathur Srinivasa Iyer |
Vocalist |
| 1964 |
Alathur Sivasubramanya Iyer |
Vocalist |
| 1963 |
Budalur Krishnamurthi Sastrigal |
Gottuvadhyam player |
| 1962 |
Papa Venkataramaiah |
Violinist |
| 1961 |
Thiruvidaimarudur Veerusami Pillai |
Nagaswaram player |
| 1960 |
T. K. Jayarama Iyer |
Violinist |
| 1959 |
Madurai Mani Iyer |
Vocalist |
| 1958 |
G. N. Balasubramaniam |
Vocalist / Composer |
| 1957 |
Chowdiah |
Violinist |
| 1956 |
Thiruveezhimizhalai Subramanya Pillai |
Nagaswaram Player |
| 1955 |
Marungapuri Gopalakrishna Iyer |
Violinist |
| 1954 |
Chittoor Subramaniam Pillai |
Vocalist |
| 1953 |
Thirupampuram N. Swaminatha Pillai |
Flautist |
| 1952 |
Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer |
Veena player |
| 1951 |
Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar |
Vocalist |
| 1950 |
Karur Chinnaswamy Iyer |
Violinist |
| 1949 |
Mudicondan Venkatarama Iyer |
Vocalist |
| 1948 |
Kumbakonam Rajamanickam Pillai |
Violinist |
| 1947 |
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer |
Vocalist |
| 1946 |
Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer |
Vocalist |
| 1945 |
No Award Given (Centenary of Tyagaraja's death) [3] |
N/A |
| 1944 |
T. L. Venkatarama Iyer |
Musicologist |
| 1943 |
Palladam Sanjiva Rao |
Flautist |
| 1942 |
Mazhavarayanendal Subbarama Bhagavatar |
Vocalist |
| 1941 |
Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu |
Violin player |
| 1940 |
Kallidaikurichi Vedanta Bhagavatar |
Harikatha exponent / Composer |
| 1939 |
Musiri Subramania Iyer |
Vocalist |
| 1938 |
Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar |
Vocalist |
| 1937 |
Agaramangudi Chidambara Bhagavatar |
Harikatha exponent |
| 1936 |
Umayalapuram Swaminatha Iyer |
Vocalist |
| 1935 |
Mysore Vasudevachar |
Composer / Vocalist |
| 1934 |
T. S. Sabesha Iyer |
Vocalist |
| 1933 |
K. Ponniah Pillai |
Composer / Pedagogue |
| 1932 |
Tiger Varadachariar |
Vocalist / Composer / Pedagogue |
| 1931 |
Pazhamaneri Swaminatha Iyer |
Vocalist / Violinist |
| 1930 |
Muthiah Bhagavatar |
Composer / Vocalist / Harikatha exponent / Gottuvadhyam player |
| 1929 |
T. V. Subba Rao and M. S. Ramaswamy Iyer |
Musicologists |