MS Subbulakshmi Profile, Early Life, Achievement, Award Detail

Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi (MS Subbulakshmi) Early Life, Achievements, Awards and Personal Life Detail

The queen of Music, Nightingale of India Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi is also popularly known by the abbreviation MS. She was a Legendary vocal Singer of Carnatic music from Madurai (Tamil Nadu). She was the first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna.

MS Subbulakshmi was born on 16th of September 1916 in Madurai, Madras Presidency during British Raj in India. Her parents Shanmukavadiver Ammal and Subramania Lyer were famous Veena musical instrument Player.

MS Subbulakshmi started learning Carnatic music at an early age and trained in Carnatic music under the tutelage of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. She learned Hindustani music under Pandit Narayanrao Vyas.

MS Subbulakshmi’s mother was a music exponent belonging to Devadasi community and a regular stage performer, MS Subbulakshmi gave her first public performance, at the age of eleven, in the year 1927.

Bharat Ratna MS Subbulakshmi Achievements and Awards:

Subbulakshmi was honored with some of the most prestigious and esteemed awards including the Padma Bhushan in 1954, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1956 and Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1968.

In 1974, she got Ramon Magsaysay Award.

In the year 1975, Subbulakshmi was honored with the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian award and Sangeetha Kalasikhamani by The Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai

In 1988, she was credited with the Kalidas Samman award. Apart from this, in 1990, she received Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration.

In 1998, she was honored with Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award. The award was to honor her excellence over classical Indian music and her efforts in promulgating the same both in India and abroad.

MS Subbulakshmi Personal Life

M. S. Subbulakshmi married to Kalki Sadasivam. Subbulakshmi stopped all her public performances.

She died on December 11, 2004, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. She died of broncho pneumonia and cardiac irregularities, old age related problems.