The exclusive music festival for Tamil compositions has been organised for the first time by Maximum Media in association with Kumara Raja Muthiah Muthamizh Manram.
Honouring the artistes, veteran vocalist Balamuralikrishna lauded both the awardees for their contributions in their own ways to art.
He also said that he had presented concerts exclusively featuring Tamil compositions. The compositions of Thyagaraja show that the languages of Telugu and Tamil were similar, he said.
Meena Muthiah said the virtue of Bhakthi is like a mother. Just like a mother cannot be forgotten, the bhakthi can never be done away with however modern the world may get to be.
Recalling her student days, she regretted that she had never been able to learn any art form as she had been staying in a hostel through her education period.
'It was this sense of loss that made me take interest in paintings specially Thanjavur ones. Art gives peace. That is the reason I have requested that arts be introduced in the curriculum at our school', she said.
Meena Muthiah also said that the honour conferred on her induced her to work more for the propagation of Tamil music.
Sudha Raghunathan said that she dedicated the honour at the feet of her mother and Guru. She thanked everyone specially her rasikas who had been a part of her musical journey to fame. Industrialist M A M Ramaswami also participated in the function.
