Jayanthi Kumaresh is an Indian Veena musician.[1][2][3] Jayanthi comes from a lineage of musicians who have been practising Carnatic music for six generations and started playing the Saraswati Veena at the age of 3. Her mother, Lalgudi Rajalakshmi, was her first teacher and she later underwent intense training from her maternal aunt, Padmavathy Ananthagopalan. She was also taught by S. Balachander and went on to perform with him as well. She is married to Kumaresh Rajagopalan (b 1967), the younger of the violinist duo Ganesh–Kumaresh. She is the niece of violinist Lalgudi Jayaraman.

Jayanthi Kumaresh
Jayanthi Kumaresh with the Saraswathi Veena
Background information
Origin	Bengaluru, India
Genres	Carnatic Music
Occupation(s)	Vainika, Composer
Instrument(s)	Saraswati Veena
Website	jayanthikumaresh.com

Jayanthi has performed at several festivals in India such as Sawai Gandharv Mahotsav, Gana Saraswati Samaroh, Gwalior Music Festival. She has also performed in international festivals such as San Francisco Jazz Festival, Darbar festival, Queensland Music Festival, Darwin Music Festival, Adelaide Music Festival and at venues such as the United Nations, New York; Palladium, Indiana; Theatre de la Ville, Paris; and Northwest folklife festival, Seattle. A collaborator, she has performed with notable musicians such as Ustad Zakir Hussain, violinist R. Kumaresh, Hindustani flutist Ronu Majumdar, Hindustani violinist Kala Ramnath, and Carnatic musicians Aruna Sairam, Bombay Jayashree, Sudha Ragunathan, and others.

A researcher, Jayanthi holds a doctorate for her work on "styles and playing techniques of the Saraswati veena" and conducts workshops and lecture demonstrations around the world. She founded the Indian National Orchestra,[4] where a group of artists from Carnatic and Hindustani genres representing the rich musical and cultural heritage of India come together under one banner to showcase Indian classical music.

Jayanthi composed and released the album "Mysterious Duality,"[5] which is a multi-dimensional reflection of the simple yet complex self – through a single instrument, the Saraswathi Veena. The artist has played 7 different Veena tracks and this album is one of its kind.

Awards

Jayanthi has been awarded with the following:

• 1990, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 : "Award for Veena" - The Music Academy, Chennai - Madras Music Academy
• 1997: Veena Dhanammal Memorial award- Sriragam fine Arts, Chennai
• 1999: Kalki Memorial award
• 2000: Fellowship from Department of culture for ‘Ragam Tanam Pallavi’ rendering on Veena
• 2003: A-TOP grading, from the All India Radio
• 2004: Maharajapuram Santhanam Memorial Award
• 2006: State award of Kalaimamani from Tamil Nadu Government
• 2006: Mahaswami Puraskar
• 2007: Sathyashri – Bangalore
• 2010: Veena Nada Mani - Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham
• 2011: XL award for the outstanding Instrumentalist of the year
• 2013: Gana Varidhi - MA Narasimhachar Music Foundation
• 2013: Sangeetha Choodamani - Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai
• 2014: Asthana Vidwan at Sringeri Sharadha Peetham
• 2015: Hamsadhwani Award.
• 2016: Kala Ratna from Kala Sangam, Mumbai
• 2016: Mudhra Vainika Award
• 2018: Vishwa Kala Ratna from Milapfest, London
• 2018: Indira Sivasailam Endowment Medal
• 2019: Bhavan's Sangeet Shikhar Samman - Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New Delhi

References