Veteran percussionist Mannargudi Easwaran and actor Delhi Ganesh honoured

Chennai's Sruthilaya Kendra awarded veteran percussionist Mannargudi A. Easwaran and film/theatre artist Delhi Ganesh with 'Guru Surajananda Award' and 'Gowri Manohari Award' respectively, as part of its 36th Winter Music Festival. Tripunitura Sasi Kumar and K. Sooreyakanthan received endowment prizes. N. Ravi, Director of The Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited, remembered the contributions of the late mridangam maestro Karaikudi Mani to the field of music. The award ceremony was held by Kendra's trustees.

Sruthilaya Kendra, a trust founded by renowned mridangam artist Karaikudi Mani, gave an award to veteran percussionist Mannargudi A. Easwaran as part of its 36th Winter Music Festival here on Sunday.

N. Ravi, Director, The Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited, presented the ‘Guru Surajananda Award’ to Mr. Easwaran, and the ‘Gowri Manohari Award’ to film and theatre artist Delhi Ganesh. Artists Tripunitura Sasi Kumar and K. Sooreyakanthan received Sruthilaya Kendra’s endowment prizes.

Mr. Easwaran was a staff artist of All India Radio, and retired as a Grade One instrumentalist after 23 years of service. He is a contemporary of Mr. Mani, who passed away in May 2023. Remembering the contributions of Mr. Mani to the field of music, Mr. Ravi said: “Karaikudi Mani was not just a mridangam maestro, his vision was broader. He brought into the limelight percussion instruments of all types – thavil, tabla, chendai, and pakhwaj. It speaks of his broad approach to music as a whole.” 

The award function was held by Kendra’s trustees Rajeswari Sainath, K. Usha, and S.K. Srinivasan.