Parassala B. Ponnammal
| Parassala B. Ponnammal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born |
1924 Parassala |
| Origin | Thiruvananthapuram(Valiasalai Street) |
| Genres | Indian Classical Music |
| Occupation(s) | Classical vocalist |
Parassala B. Ponnammal (also known as Parassala Ponnammal) is an Indian Carnatic musician. On 23 September 2006, she sang at the Navaratri Mandapam in Trivandrum, breaking 300 years of tradition that forbade women from performing at or attending the famed Navaratri Celebrations of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala.[1]
Early life
She was born to Mahadeva Iyer and Bhagavathy Ammal in a Kerala Iyer family in 1924 in Parassala in Thiruvananthapuram district of the Indian state of Kerala.
Ponnammal started to learn carnatic music as a child. Ponnammal was the first female student to enroll in the newly started Swathi Thirunal College of Music in Thiruvananthapuram during the early 1940s and passed out from there with first rank in "Gana Bushanam" and "Gana Praveena" courses.
Ponnammal learned Carnatic music from several carnatic master singers. Shri. Papanasam Sivan, Shri. Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar and Shri. Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer were some of her teachers.[2]
Career
Ponnammal started her career as a music teacher by joining the Cotton Hill Girls High School in Thiruvnanthapuram. Later she became the first female member of the teaching faculty in the Swathi Thirunal College of Music in Thiruvananthapuram.[3] She was the first woman principal to head the RLV College of Music and Fine Arts at Tripunithura.[4]
She performed Guruvayur Puresa Suprabhatham,[5] Trisivapuresa Suprabhatahm, Ulsava Prabhandam, Navarathri Kriti, Meenambika Sthothram, along with compositions of Irayamman Thampi and Mr. K. C. Kesava Pillai.[6]
She has performed across India and abroad.[7]
Recognition
Her awards include:
- Padma Shri, Government of India, New Delhi. 2017.[8]
- M.G.Radhakrishnan Award, 2016.[9]
- Lifetime Achievement Award, Chennai Fine Arts, Chennai, Tamil Nadu on 23 March 2015.[10][11]
- Sangeetha Prabhakara Award, 2012.[12]
- S. Ganesha Sarma Award, instituted by Ganesha Sarma Educational and Charitable Society, 2009.[13]
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, 2009.[14]
- Swathi Sangeetha Puraskaram, 2009.[15]
- Sree Guruvayurappan Chembai Puraskaram, 2009[16]
Notable disciples
References
- ↑ Krishnaraj.S. "CARNATIC MUSIC :: Prince Rama Varma : A legend in the Making". www.carnaticindia.com. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
- ↑ "Grace Notes From Travancore". outlookindia.com/. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
- ↑ Varma, Aswathi Thirunal Rama. "A rare gem of a musician". The Hindu. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
- ↑ Ranee Kumar. "A doyen in her own right". The Hindu. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
- ↑ "Parassala Ponnammal | S Mahadevan". S Mahadevan. 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2018-01-16.
- ↑ "Ms. Parassala Ponnammal | Kerala Tourism". www.keralatourism.org. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
- ↑ "പൊന്നമ്മാളിന്റെ സംഗീത യാത്രയ്ക്ക് പത്മശീയുടെ തിളക്കം". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
- ↑ "Padma Awards". padmaawards.gov.in. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
- ↑ "Minister A K Balan Presenting M G Radhakrishnan Award To Musician Parassala B Ponnammal". World News. Retrieved 2017-06-13.
- ↑ "Honour for Parassala Ponnammal". article.wn.com. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
- ↑ "Honour for Parassala Ponnammal - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
- ↑ "Award for Ponnammal". The Hindu. Retrieved 2017-06-13.
- ↑ "Awards for Vasudevan Potti, Parassala Ponnammal". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2017-06-13.
- ↑ "Sangeet Natak Academy awards 2009". The Hindu. Retrieved 2017-06-13.
- ↑ "Swati Puraskaram announced". article.wn.com. Retrieved 2017-06-13.
- ↑ Adroit. "Sree Guruvayurappan Chembai Puraskaram for vocalist Parassala Ponnammal - Carnatic Music News - Darbar for claissical music / claissical dance". www.carnaticdarbar.com. Retrieved 2017-06-13.