Chennai: Veena artiste Jayanthi Kumaresh was presented the Indira Sivasailam Endowment Medal at a function at The Music Academy here Friday. Indira Sivasailam Endowment Medal is given every year by the Indira Sivasailam Foundation, set up by Mallika Srinivasan, CEO of TAFE (Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited), in 2010.
Every year, the foundation gives the medal to outstanding Carnatic musicians for their contribution in the field. Jayanthi Kumaresh is the ninth recipient of the medal.
Presenting the award, Mallika Srinivasan said, “Jayanthi Kumaresh is a veena artiste par excellence, who soulfully unfurls her multidimensional talent as an artiste, collaborator, researcher and educationist that makes her a true embodiment of the rich musical heritage of India. She also rekindled my interest in veena. What differentiates her style of music is the manner in which she explores the full length of the veena bringing to life the entire sound scale in a pitch-perfect sruti.”
“Truly, she is a torchbearer of our rich heritage and the endowment fund takes great pride in conferring the medal on Jayanthi,” she added.
The Music Academy president, N Murali, said, “This Indira Sivasailam Endowment Medal function is synonymous with Navarathri. For the first seven editions, the medals were given to vocalists. Last year, there was a break from the tradition and Lalgudi Krishnan and Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi were the awardees. This year, it is Jayanthi Kumaresh.”
In her acceptance speech, Jayanthi said, “It is customary that in this function the person who has been awarded the medal, speaks a few words. But in this case, it is the veena which has won the medal. My veenai doesn’t speak. But it is a very rare occasion and my veena has given men a letter to be read.”
She then read out the message written in the letter that describes her journey with the veena.
The Music Academy secretaries, Dr Sumathi Krishnan and V Sriram, were present. After the felicitation, Jayanthi performed a veena concert.