AIR confers ''top grade'' rank to Mridangam maestro Ramakrishnan
PTI | 11:10 PM,Oct 14,2010Thiruvananthapuram,Oct14 (PTI) Top-notch 'mridangam' player and Guinness record holder Kuzhalmannam Ramakrishnan has been accorded "Top Grade" artist status by All India Radio. Ramakrishnan was given the coveted grade in view of his outstanding contribution as a leading percussionist and artist of the All India Radio. Ramakrishnan was informed of the conferment of the grade by AIR Director General recently, sources close to Ramakrishnan said. Ramakrishnan had set several records by conducting marathon performances,including the Guinness record for the 'hand drum marathon' achieved by playing the instrument for 501 hours in 2009. Ramakrishnan learnt the instrument from his father Gopalkrishna Iyer and had accompanied leading classical singers in 'mridangam', a percussion drum used in Carnatic musical concert. He also has played solo on mridangam in hundreds of stages and excelled in fusion music.
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