K. Raghavan

K. Raghavan
Background information
Also known as	Raghavan Master
Born	(1913-12-02)2 December 1913 Thalassery, Malabar district, British India
Died	Thalassery, Kerala, India
Genres	Indian classical, light music, mappila songs
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instruments	Tabla, keyboards, thambura, drums, vocals
Years active	(1951–2000) (2007–2010)
Labels	HMV India
Notable instruments
Voice Keyboards Thambaru

K. Raghavan (Malayalam: കെ. രാഘവന്‍) (2 December 1913 – 19 October 2013), popularly known as Raghavan Master, was a Malayalam music composer. Along with G. Devarajan, V. Dakshinamoorthy and Baburaj, Raghavan was often credited for the renaissance of Malayalam film music. He was the pioneer in contributing Malayalam film songs with its own tunes and styles. Till then, Malayalam film songs were in the tunes of popular Hindi and Tamil film songs and old classical kritis. Raghavan gave a new direction and identity to Malayalam film music. He composed around 400 songs in Malayalam cinema and was active in the Malayalam film industry for nearly four decades.

Personal life

Raghavan was born to folk singer M Krishnan and Narayani in Thalassery on 2 December 1913. He died at the age of 99 on 19 October 2013 in Thalassery.

Early life

Raghavan was born in Thalassery, Kannur in the Indian state of Kerala to M. Krishnan and Narayani in 1913. He started studying classical music from his childhood and was also a good football player. His professional career was started as a tambura player in All India Radio, Chennai. In 1950 he got transferred to Kozhikode and there he got involved with film artists.

Career

Raghavan set a new trend in Malayalam film music with the release of the 1954 movie Neelakuyil. Renowned lyricist and Raghavan's friend P. Bhaskaran had penned the songs in Neelakkuyil. Raghavan himself has rendered his voice for one of the songs in Neelakkuyil. The song Kayalarikathu valayerinjappol went on to become an instant hit.

Music career

In a career spanning over four decades, he has scored music for more than sixty Malayalam films and many of his compositions remain ever green classics in Malayalam. Raghavan infused the folk element into Malayalam film music and his rustic melodies replaced the then prevailing trend of imitations of popular Hindi tunes of the day.He also composed songs for plays like Kerala People's Arts Club and All India Radio. And he dared try out a variety of voices to Malayalam film music, many of them were new. Mehboob, K. P. Brahmanandan, Balamuralikrishna, M. L. Vasanthakumari, A. P. Komala, Gayathri Srikrishnan, Santha P. Nair, A. M. Rajah, K. P. Udayabhanu, M.G. Radhakrishnan, P. B. Sreenivas, Vani Jayaram, Jikki, V. T. Murali, and G. Venugopal... they have all sung for him.

As a musician

• First Movie Pullimaan in (1951).
• Number of Movies 65
• Number of Songs 405
• State Awards 2

Songs

• Kayalarikathu...
• Ellarum chollanu...
• Nazhiyuripalu kondu...
• Hrudaythin romancham...
• Ekantha Kaamuka Ninte Manoratham ...
• Shyamasundara pushpame...
• Aattinakkareyakkare...
• Poornendumukhiyodambalathil...
• Nalikerathinte nattilenikkoru...
• Manjani poonilavil...
• Kathu sookshichoru...
• Appozhe paranjille...
• Manathe Mazhamukil malakale...
• Anuragakkalariyil angathinu vannavale...
• Pambukalkku maalamundu... (KPAC drama song)
• Thalayku meethe... (KPAC drama song)

Awards

Civilian Awards by Govt. of India

• 2010 – Padma Shri

Kerala State Film Awards

• 1973 – Best Music Director
• 1977 – Best Music Director – Poojakedukkatha Pookkal.
• 1997 – Kerala State Film Award for Lifetime Achievement – J. C. Daniel Lifetime Achievement Award from the Government of Kerala

Other Awards

• 2000 – Best Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2006 – Swaralaya Yesudas Award
• 2011 – M. G. Radhakrishnan Award

External links

• K. Raghavan at the Internet Movie Database
• Complete Listing of K Raghavan's Movie Songs
• http://www.hindu.com/2010/11/12/stories/2010111261050400.htm
• Raghavan the folk master