PROFILE
Hailing from a family of Musicians, Rajiv was introduced to Carnatic Music at a very early age. He had his initial training from his mother Smt. Geetha Ramakrishnan, who is a vocalist and Vainika. He then came under the tutelage of Sri. P. S. Narayanaswamy and later, Sri. V. Subrahmaniam from whom he underwent advanced training for a decade.
Rajiv gave his first concert in 2004 for Sri.Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer Golden Jubilee Foundation and has never looked back. Over the years, he has performed for various Sabhas such as The Music Academy Madras, Mylapore Fine Arts Club, RR Sabha Mylapore, Brahma Gana Sabha, Kartik Fine Arts, Sri Kapali Fine Arts, Chennai Cultural Academy, Shanmukhananda Mumbai, Gayathri Fine Arts New Delhi, and many other academies. He was one of the finalists of Jaya TV’s Carnatic Music Idol 2010.
Rajiv regularly performs for many Sabhas in the Chennai December Music season. He is a “B- High” graded artist of AIR, Chennai. He has been on several international trips. He is known for performing in the traditional”Semmangudi Bani” which is famous for its creativity and aesthetically pleasing music.
Rajiv conducts both online and regular Music classes at his residence in Padur, OMR for students at all levels. Rajiv has students from across the globe and has trained many Carnatic Music Aspirants.
Academically, Rajiv is an Electrical and Electronics Engineer from SRM University and works for a leading software company.
Gurus
- Prime disciple of Sangita Kala Acharya V.Subrahmaniam(Senior disciple of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer) for fifteen years(1997-2011).
- Disciple of Sangita Kala Acharya Sri.P.S.Narayanaswamy for two years (1995-1996).
Music Qualification
- B High Graded Artist of All India Radio, Chennai.
- Finalist in Bru Carnatic Music Idol competition 2010 organized by Jaya TV.
- First public concert at the age of 18 for Semmangudi Foundation in 2004.
- Performing since 2004 for many major Sabhas in India including The Music Academy, Madras.
- Rajiv is a regular performer in many Sabhas in the Chennai December Music Season.
- Rajiv has provided vocal support for his Guru in many Concerts and lecture demonstrations.
- Excerpts from some of Rajiv’s Concerts are available in Youtube.
- Performed for InSync TV, a 24 hr. Classical Music Channel, in May 2014.
- Executive committee member of YACM for two years (2005-2007).
Awards and Titles
- Received Kalai Sudaroli Award from Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam Fine Arts and literary academy in 2023
- Received Kamala Kannan Award for the Best Singer for 2011(Tambura prize) from Gayatri Fine Arts, New Delhi.
- Received the Medal prize from VDS Arts Academy for the top 10 Concerts of 2006.
Concert experience
- Performed for Sri.R.K.Srikantan Trust, Bangalore on 15/1/’24.
- Performed for Navaleeshwarar Temple on 18/2/’23 in the Shivratri Festival.
- Performed for Arulmigu Velleeshwarar Temple, Mylapore’s Vidayatri series on 9/6/’23.
- Performed a Thematic concert- Ranjani Series for Vishwaroopa Sai Consciousness on 17/12/’23 in the December season.
- Performed for Brahma Gana Sabha on 30/12/’23 in the December season.
- Performed for Maha Periyavaa Anusham Trust, Mylapore on 27/9/’22 in the Navaratri Series.
- Performed for Layapriya on 28/8/’22
- Performed for Sri Raghavendra Swamy Temple Triplicane on 15/8/’22
- Performed for Maha Periyavaa Guru Padhuka Mandapam on 29/7/’22
- Performed for RR Sabha Mylapore on 22/6/’22.
- Performed for Layapriya in the Shivaratri Festival on 2/3/’22 at BVB, Mylapore
- Performed for RR Sabha Mylapore on 22/6/’22
- Performed a live online concert for Global Rudra Gana Sabha on 24/6/’22
- Performed a live online concert for Global Rudra Gana Sabha on 26/12/’21
- Performed a live online concert for Charushree Academy on 24/12/’20.
- Performed a live online concert for Live4you on 17/8/’20.
- Performed online for Sri Sankara Sangeetha Vaibhavam for Sri Sankarapuram Trust on 29/5/’20.
- Performed for Chromepet Kumaran Kundram on 3/1/’19
- Performed for Mantri Synergy, OMR on 3/10/’19 in Navaratri Series
- Performed for Chennai Cultural Academy on 23/12/’19 in Sub Senior Slot
- Performed for Kartik Fine Arts on 13/10/’18 in their Navaratri Series.
- Performed for Mylapore Fine Arts Club in the Sub Senior Slot on 14/12/’18
- Performed for Mylapore Fine Arts Club on 16/12/’17
- Performed for OMR Community during Navaratri Festival.
- Performed for Gana Kala Vidhya Nilayam on 19/04/15
- Performed for Kartik Fine Arts on 4/12/15 for.
- Performed for Gayatri Fine Arts, New Delhi on 05/09/14.
- Performed for Brahma Gana Sabha on 12/12/14
- Performed for Mylapore Fine Arts Club on 24/12/14
- Performed for Hamsavinodini on 4/5/’13
- Performed for Nadasudha, Velachery on 20/10/’13.
- Performed for Sri Shanmukhananda, Mumbai on 24/11/’13.
- Performed for Kartik Fine arts on 2/12/’13.
- Performed for Chennai Cultural Academy on 11/12/’13
- Performed for Varasidhi Vinayak Temple, Besant Nagar on 12/6/’12.
- Performed for Madras Kalibari, T Nagar During Navaratri Series, 2012.
- Performed for Chromepet Kumaran Kundram on 15/12/’12.
- Performed for Hamsavinodini on 16/12/’12.
- Performed for Gayatri Fine Arts, New Delhi on 7/2/’11.
- Performed for Sri Ranjani Sangita Sabha, Mumbai on 15/8/’11.
- Performed for Lok Kala Manch, New Delhi in Association with Gayatri Fine arts on 21/9/’11.
- Performed for Rasikapriya, New Delhi on 5/10/’11
- Performed for Sri Ranjani on 5/01/10 for 1 ½ hours at Swamy’s Hall, Mandaveli.
- Performed for Music Circle, Naada Inbam on 22/2/10.
- Performed for The Music Academy, Madras on 26/2/10 in the HCL series.
- Performed for Mudhra on 18/12/’10 at Infosys Hall.
- Performed for Hamsavinodini on 19/12/’10.
- Performed for Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam on 6/5/2009.
- Performed for Naada Inbam on 10/5/2009.
- Performed for Hamsavinodini on 21/9/2009at Sankara Mutt, West Mambalam.
- Performed for Kartik Fine Arts on 3/12/2009.
- Performed for Brahma Gana Sabha on 31/12/2009.
- Performed for Ramana Kendra on 14/1/2008
- Performed for Sri Shanmukhananda Mumbai on 30/11/2008 in the talent promotion series.
- Performed for Carnatica on 24/12/2008 in the lecture demonstration “Semmangudi Bani”along with my Guru.
- Performed for Kapali Fine Arts on 26/12/2008 at Srinivasa Sastry hall.
- Performed for Gana Mukunda Priya on 27/12/2008 at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
- Performed for Gana Mukunda Priya on 29/3/2007 at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
- Performed for The Music Academy in the “Spirit of Youth” festival on 29/9/2007.
- Performed for YACM on 7/3/2006 in the Shivratri Series.
- Performed for Music Circle on 23/9/2006 at Ragasudha hall.
- Performed for VDS arts academy on 22/12/2006
- Performed for Naada Inbam on 9/7/2005 at Ragasudha hall.
- Performed for Sri.Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer Golden Jubilee foundation on 27/7/2004.
Albums
Launched a Devi Kriti album containing the compositions of Smt.Geetha Ramakrishnan during Navratri 2023.