MS Subbulakshmi 'Will' Prevails: No Award For TM Krishna In Her Name

In the end, the Will of M S Subbulakshmi has prevailed. In a sense, it’s in more ways than one. The now tainted Sangita Kalanidhi award, which this year has been announced for TM Krishna, will not carry the cash component instituted in her name.   

In a verdict that has been welcomed with enthusiasm by a big cross section of Carnatic music aficionados, the Madras High Court today restrained the Music Academy and The Hindu Group from bestowing the 'Sangita Kalanidhi MS Subbulakshmi Award' on Carnatic vocalist and activist TM Krishna. (The 'Sangita Kalanidhi MS Subbulakshmi Award' is deemed a 'mirror award' conferred alongside the Sangita Kalanidhi --- it is a cash award instituted in the name of MS Subbulakshmi since 2005 by The Hindu Group.) However, there is no restraint on the Academy if it chooses to go ahead with the Sangita Kalanidhi conferment.  

Delivering the verdict in the case, which had the usually serene world of Carnatic music world in some tumult, Justice G Jayachandran said: "The best way to honour a departed soul is to honour and respect her wish and not to disrespect her. If any person is really having reverence and regard to MS Subbulakshmi, after knowing her desire and mandate, should not continue to give award in her name."

The plea to stop 'the Sangita Kalanidhi MS Subbulakshmi Award' being given to Krishna was filed by V Shrinivasan, the grandson of MS Subbulakshmi (and the son of Radha Vishwanathan).

The court also dismissed the application filed by the Music Academy challenging MS Subbulakshmi's grandson's suit and locus standi to file it.

MS Family stands up for her

Shrinivasan's plea was on two fronts: The late singer’s will explicitly states there should be no trust, foundation, or memorial in her name after her passing. "It is my earnest desire and mandate that, after my demise, no trust, foundation, memorial, statue, or bust be created in my name or memory, nor any funds, donations, or contributions be collected for these purposes using my name. The only exception pertains to mementos, souvenirs, or awards given to me, as I believe such initiatives are not in line with our culture," the will, made out on October 3, 1997, reads.

Aside from the fact that the award is against the spirit of her Will, the family of MS Subbulakshmi also felt shock and disbelief that Krishna, who had lowered the dignity of the late singer with some controversial articles against her, had been chosen for the award. 

Both the Music Academy and The Hindu group wondered whether Shrinivasan had the locus standi to file the plea. They, for all practical purposes, wanted him to 'prove' that he is indeed the grandson of the iconic singer. This was mischievous, even devious, as it called into question MS Subbulkashmi's relationship with Radha Vishwanthan, who was not her biological daughter (she is the daughter of Sadasivam from his first marriage).

MS, the whole world knew, treated the two daughters of Sadasivam from his first marriage, Radha and Vijaya, as her own.  Radha was practically her shadow on public platforms for over five decades, singing alongside her in all her legendary concerts and recordings including the iconic Venkateswara Suprabatham and Vishnu Sahasranamam. "My world was my MS Amma to me, she guided me not just in music, she was the light to my path of life," Radha had famously said of her MS Amma.  Hence, the insinuation that Shrinivasan must prove that he is indeed the grandson of MS was a mean tactic.

They also seemed to question the legality of MS' Will, which precluded creation of awards or memorial in her name, by saying that there are other institutions and organisations that had instituted awards/memorials in her name. 

HC verdict takes the moral sheen away from award to TMK

Indeed, there are others who seek to perpetuate MS' memory by giving out honours in her name, but none had made bold to offer it to a man who had tarnished her reputation. TM Krishna had consistently besmirched her good name by making vile extrapolative analysis under the guise of intellectual inquiry of her musical legacy. And the Madras High Court has done well to at least stop the award in her name to be handed to Krishna. 

Of course, the Academy can still go ahead with the Sangita Kalanidhi award as a standalone offer. But much sheen has been taken out of it --- if anything, the moral core of the award to Krishna now seems to have come unstuck. Carnatic musicians like Ranjani-Gayathri, Trichur Brothers, Palghat Ramprasad, who had vocally criticised the Music Academy and pulled out their concerts there this season in protest, would seem vindicated.

The Music Academy and The Hindu have been legally rebuffed. But they can also go in on appeal against the verdict. However, that would be a churlish thing to do in the current situation and mood among the Carnatic music fraternity. The Academy should read the writing on the wall and maintain its dignity in silence. If it chooses to fight it again in the court, some of its executive members who were reportedly against the award to Krishna  ---  he wasn't a unanimous choice as the Academy initially made it out --- should make themselves known in public and perhaps pull out of the Academy itself. 

All in all, the MS family has done well to stand up strongly to safeguard her musical memory. Essential niceness should not be mistaken for weakness. Kurai Ondrum Illai Maraimurthy Kanna