T. S. Nandakumar

T. S. Nandakumar
Background information
Also known asTSN, Bombay Nandakumar
Born (1958-03-17) 17 March 1958
Ambalapuzha, Kerala, India
GenresCarnatic music
OccupationsPercussionist, educator
InstrumentMridangam
Years active1970s–present
Websitemridangam.info

T. S. Nandakumar (born 17 March 1958) is an Indian percussionist, composer and educator. He is known for organizing percussion musical ensemble and has performed at various music festivals. Through his teaching activities in India and the United States, he has trained numerous students in carnatic music percussion and continues to perform and teach.[1] He is a recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his contribution to Carnatic instrumental music.[2][3]

Early life and training

Born in Ambalapuzha, Kerala, India, Nandakumar had his training in mridangam under Kaithavana Madhavadas in the gurukula system.[4] He is associated with Ambalapuzha Brothers of Kerala.[5]

Career

Nandakumar started his career as a mridangist in Bombay, India and later focused on other traditional percussion instruments.[6][7] He has performed with musicians including Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, M. D. Ramanathan, S. Ramanathan, R. K. Srikantan, Bhimsen Joshi, M. Balamuralikrishna, N. Rajam, T. N. Krishnan, N. Ramani, and K. J. Yesudas.[8] He has been reported as a "Cultural Ambassador of India" by The Indian Panorama [9] and as a "Master of Rhythm" by The Times of India.[10] He has performed at several music festivals, including Chembai Sangeetholsavam and the Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival.[11] He taught Carnatic percussion, training students in multiple percussion instruments and organizing talavadya ensemble performance in Carnatic style.[12][13] He conducted lecture-demonstrations and such ensemble performances at different universities, music festivals [8] and music venues namely The Percussive Arts Centre as a part of Taalavaadyotsava 94 which was a tribute to Chowdiah.[14] He organized a Carnatic percussion ensemble of more than 80 students in instruments such as Mridangam, Ghatam, Kanjira, Thavil and Morsing along with konnakol recitation which was held at Shanmukhananda Hall, Mumbai, India in 2008 [15] and a similar performance with 108 students at the Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival, USA.[16] In 1993, he composed and released an album Jewels of Rhythm featuring his students.[17] He is mentioned for South Indian percussion in The Fragrant Garland: A biographical dictionary of Carnatic composers and musicians, and Music Criticism: Principles and Practice.[18][19]

Teaching

Nandakumar is the founder of TSN's Percussive Arts Centre (TSNPAC), an organization that teaches Carnatic music percussion and organizes concerts and musical ensemble performances.[20] He has trained students in Carnatic percussion in India and the United States.[21][22] He has taught percussion at several educational institutions including Shanmukhananda Fine Arts, Bombay, India. The 10th anniversary of TSNPAC was also held there.[23][24] An endowment in his name is included in the annual music competition by the Shanmukhananda Fine Arts.[25][26]

Books

  • Roots of Mridangam [27]
  • Intricacies of Mridangam [28]

Works about T. S. Nandakumar

  • The Rhythm Master: The Story of TSN, a children's book depicting the life and musical journey of T. S. Nandakumar.[29][30]

Discography

  • Mridanga Laya Vinyasam [31]
  • Jewels of Rhythm Vol. 1 [32]
  • Jewels of Rhythm Vol. 2 [33]
  • Jewels of Rhythm Vol. 3 [34]
  • Vibrative Rhythms [35]
  • Vibrative Rhythms 2 [36]
  • South Indian Percussion [40]
  • Demonstration on Talas and Rhythms [42]
  • Cascades of Rhythm [44]
  • Classical Instrumental Moods (with Narayan Mani) [48]
  • Matunga Sisters (with Lakshmi and Kalyani Shankar) [49]
  • Swati Tirunal Kritis (with Radha Warrier) [50]
  • Divine Expressions (with Narayan Mani) [51]

Awards

President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu presenting the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award to T. S. Nandakumar

References

  1. ↑ "T. S. Nandakumar: A life in rhythm". Sruti. Sruti Foundation.
  2. ↑ Kaleekal, Jeffin T. (13 June 2026). "NJ-based TSNPAC founder Nandakumar wins Sangeet Natak Akademi Award". New India Abroad. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  3. ↑ "Carnatic maestro T. S. Nandakumar honoured with Sangeet Natak Akademi Award". GlobalNet News. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  4. ↑ Romero, Angel (19 August 2023). "Mridangam Maestro T. S. Nandakumar". World Music Central.
  5. ↑ Suni (1997-05-25). "T. S. Nandakumar: A Mridangam Artist and Teacher" [T. S. Nandakumar: A Mridangam Artist and Teacher]. Deepika (in Malayalam).
  6. ↑ Shankar, Vijay. "Devoted to the Mridangam". The Times of India.
  7. ↑ Rajagopalan, Aditya (July–September 2025). "Mridangarpanam – A celebration of 25 years of stage performances". Shanmukhananda Sabha Quarterly Journal. Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha: 49–51.
  8. 1 2 "Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards 2025" (PDF). Sangeet Natak Akademi. 2025. p. 119. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  9. ↑ Ghosh, Ajay (2024-03-08). "Mridangam Maestro T. S. Nandakumar: A Cultural Ambassador of India". The Indian Panorama. Retrieved 2026-05-02.
  10. ↑ Vishwanth, Rohit (2001-04-03). "The Master of Rhythm". Westside Plus. The Times of India.
  11. ↑ Nair, V. G. (2003-01-24). "Chembai Sangeetholsavam 2003" [Chembai Music Festival 2003]. Kalakaumudi (in Malayalam). p. 10.
  12. ↑ Rajendran, Sulochana (1993-08-09). "Youthful revival of avanaddha vadhyas". The Free Press Journal.
  13. ↑ Suryanarayanan, Renuka (2005-08-25). "Giving up credit for the thunderous applause". The Hindu. Mumbai.
  14. ↑ M, Surya Prasad (10 June 1994). "Melodious tribute to Chowdaiah". The Hindu. p. 26.
  15. ↑ Navlani, Seema (2008-03-03). "Percussionists revive lost art". The Asian Age. Mumbai. p. 23.
  16. ↑ റഹ്മത്ത് കലാം, മീറ്റു (15 August 2026). "ലയതരംഗങ്ങളിലെ സാധകം: സംഗീത നാടക അക്കാദമി അവാർഡ് തിളക്കത്തിൽ ഗുരു ടി. എസ്. നന്ദകുമാർ". eMalayalee. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  17. ↑ Ramamurthy, Lakshmi (December 2025). "A Life in Rhythm". Sruti. Sruti Magazine: 77–81 – via Internet Archive.
  18. ↑ Sathyanarayana, R (2006). Music Criticism: Principles and Practice (with Special Reference to Karnataka Music). Vidwan R.K. Srikantan Trust. p. 193 – via University of Michigan (digitized).
  19. ↑ Rajagopalan, Naganathasastri (1996). The Fragrant Garland: Biographical Dictionary of Carnatic Composers and Musicians. Chennai: Carnatic Classicals. pp. 202–203.
  20. ↑ Shanker, Guru Vijay (2025-05-01). "Percussion Maestro". Bhavan's Journal. 3 (1). Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan: 46–48.
  21. ↑ Anand, Lakshmi (8 March 2018). "The fine art of accompaniment". The Hindu.
  22. ↑ Anand, Lakshmi (21 May 2020). "Home in any genre". The Hindu.
  23. ↑ "Sruti Sandhya". Sruti (196–207). P. N. Sundaresan: 51. 2001 – via University of California (digitized).
  24. ↑ Subramaniam, Sudha (2008). "10th Anniversary of T. S. Nandakumar's Percussive Arts Centre". Shanmukha. 34. Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha: 52 – via University of California, Berkeley (digitized).
  25. ↑ "Music Competitions 2026 – Shanmukhananda" (PDF). Mumbai: Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha. 2026.
  26. ↑ "Mumbai teenager wins ten awards at the prestigious Shanmukhananda Annual Music competition 2026". RadioandMusic.com. 26 August 2026. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  27. ↑ Romero, Angel (2024-03-21). "Mridangam, the Indispensable South Indian Barrel Drum". World Music Central. Retrieved 2026-05-02.
  28. ↑ Ghosh, Ajay (5 April 2024). "Book review – Nandakumar's Book Intricacies of Mridangam released". India Post.
  29. ↑ Venkataraman, Purna (2026). The Rhythm Master: The Story of TSN. ISBN 9798252768434.
  30. ↑ "The Rhythm Master: The Story of TSN". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
  31. ↑ "Mridanga Laya Vinyasam". Apple Music. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
  32. ↑ "Jewels of Rhythm – Percussion Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  33. ↑ "Jewels of Rhythm Vol. 2". Spotify. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  34. ↑ "Jewels of Rhythm Vol. 3". Apple Music. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  35. ↑ "Vibrative Rhythms". Apple Music. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  36. ↑ "Vibrative Rhythms 2". Spotify. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  37. ↑ "Sruti Sandhya". Spotify. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  38. ↑ "Sruti Sandhya 2". Spotify. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  39. ↑ "Vibrations". Spotify. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  40. ↑ "South Indian Percussion". Spotify. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  41. ↑ "Mridangam Solo". Spotify. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  42. ↑ "Demonstration on Talas and Rhythms". Spotify. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  43. ↑ "Konnakol". Spotify. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  44. ↑ "Cascades of Rhythm". Amazon Music. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  45. ↑ "Classical Treat by Nedunuri Krishnamurthy with Mridangam T. S. Nandakumar on iTunes". Internet Archive (Wayback Machine). Archived from the original on 1 December 2017.
  46. ↑ "Jugalbandi Series: Live at Shivaji Park, Mumbai (1991)". Apple Music. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  47. ↑ "A Duet on Strings (Instrumental)". Apple Music. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  48. ↑ "Classical Instrumental Moods". Apple Music. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  49. ↑ "Matunga Sisters". Apple Music. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  50. ↑ "Swati Tirunal Kritis". Amazon Music. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  51. ↑ "Divine Expressions". Apple Music. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  52. ↑ "Surabhi". Apple Music. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  53. ↑ "Announcement of Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards (Akademi Puraskar)" (PDF). Sangeet Natak Akademi. Ministry of Culture, Government of India. 10 June 2026. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
  54. ↑ "President Droupadi Murmu to confer Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards 2024-25 on August 13". India Gazette. ANI. 11 August 2026. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  55. ↑ "Awardees". Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha.
  56. ↑ Thadathil, Francis (28 March 2018). "T.S.Nandakumar received the NAMAM Excellence Award 2018 for Outstanding Musician". Mathrubhumi Archives (in Malayalam). Mathrubhumi.
  57. ↑ "Brookdale's Class of 2024: A Journey of Triumphs and New Beginnings". Brookdale Community College. 30 May 2024.
  58. ↑ "നാമം സ്പെഷ്യൽ ജൂറി ബഹുമതികൾ പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചു". Manorama Online (in Malayalam). Malayala Manorama. 19 July 2026. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  59. ↑ "നാമം സ്പെഷ്യൽ ജൂറി ബഹുമതികൾ പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചു". eMalayalee (in Malayalam). 19 July 2026. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
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