Opposing T M Krishna, World-Renowned Carnatic Vocalists Ranjani, Gayatri Announce Withdrawal From Music Academy Conference

World-renowned classical musicians Ranjani and Gayatri announced their withdrawal from participating in the Music Academy’s conference 2024 as it will be presided over by T M Krishna.

The Carnatic vocalist Vidushi sisters will also not be presenting their concert on 25 December.

They accused T M Krishna of causing "immense damage to the Carnatic music world" and "willfully and happily" stomping over the sentiments of the music community.

They also alleged that TM Krishna insulted most respected icons like Tyagaraja and M S Subbulakshmi.

"His actions have tried to spread a sense of shame in being a Carnatic musician and have been exhibited through his consistent denigration of spirituality in music," Ranjani Gayatri wrote in a social media post.

Accusing T M Krishna of vilifying the Carnatic music fraternity, they said, "It is dangerous to overlook Mr T M Krishna’s glorification of a figure like EVR."

They criticised EVR for openly proposing a genocide of ‘brahmins’, repeatedly calling/abusing every woman of this community with "vile profanity" and relentlessly working to "normalise filthy language in social discourse."

They expressed belief in a value system that "respects art and artists, vaggeyakaras, rasikas, institutions, our roots and culture" and said that joining the conference by burying these values would be a moral violation for them.