Trust plans yearlong celebration of Sheik Chinna Moulana’s birth centenary
The former Vice-President, M. Venkaiah Naidu, will inaugurate the programme
Dr. Chinnamoulana Memorial Trust will inaugurate a yearlong schedule to celebrate the birth centenary of nadaswaram exponent Sheik Chinna Moulana, and the 25th edition of the annual ‘shradhanjali’ (homage), beginning with a twoday programme in Tiruchi this weekend.
According to an official statement, former VicePresident M. Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate the programme on April 6 in the presence of State Minister for Municipal Administration K.N. Nehru, and senior officials.
A documentary on the life of Sheik Chinna Moulana will be screened on the inaugural day.
The trust’s lifetime achievement award will be bestowed on thavil exponent M. Angusamy, who had accompanied Sheik Chinna Moulana and his grandsons S. Kasim and S. Babu in their recitals. The award is accompanied by a cash prize of ₹1 lakh.
Senior nadaswaram artiste M. Sakthivel and thavil artiste T. R. Ramadass will be honoured with purses for their contributions spanning over 60 years.
B. Selvam and M. Muthukumar will receive the awards for upcoming nadaswaram and thavil artistes, respectively. With the support of Ashok Leyland, Chennai, the trust will provide six nadaswaram music instruments and two thavil instruments to deserving students.
Vocalist Abhishek Raghuram will present a concert on the inaugural evening.
The homage programme on April 7 will be marked with instrumental recitals by J. Venkatesh and J. Balasubramani and senior nadaswaram artiste Desur D.S.D. Selvarathinam along with his sons S. Shanmugasundharam and S.Sethuraman.
Commemorative programmes will be held in Kumbakonam, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi, besides venues across the United Sates, through the year. This will be followed by a nadaswaram festival in December in Tiruchi, in which senior and emerging nadaswaram exponents will participate.
Nadaswaram and thavil makers will also be honoured during the centenary year, said the statement.