T. V. Gopalakrishnan

Who is T. V. Gopalakrishnan?

Tirupanithurai Viswanatha Gopalakrishnan is a Carnatic and Hindustani musician from Chennai.

Gopalakrishnan hails from a family of musicians spanning over two centuries. His father, T.G.Viswanatha Bhagavathar, was a court musician for the Cochin Royal Family and a professor of music at the S.K.V. College in Thrissur. He is a vocalist, plays the violin and is also an exponent of the mridangam. Gopalakrishnan started playing the mridangam at the age of four and had his arangetram at the Cochin palace at the age of six. He is a disciple of Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar.

His students include Ilayaraja, A.R.Rahman, Sivamani, Kadri Gopalnath, Vidyabhushana. He has also collaborated with drummer/composer Franklin Kiermyer on live performances.

Gopalakrishnan was given the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1990. He has been awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in the year 2012.

Ghatam Maestro Late T V Vasan is his younger brother.