Papanasam Ashok Ramani has been regarded as one of the well-established Carnatic vocal musician who has been ruling over the world of music for 15 years. He is the grandchild of noted Tamil music composer Brahmashri Papanasam Sivan. Papanasam Ashok Ramani has performed in a number of concerts earning recognition and applauses for his expertise. Presently he is learning vocals from Vidwan Sri. P.S.Narayanaswamy. He is also known to be a gifted Mridangam player and has performed in some of the esteemed events of India.
Early Life of Papanasam Ashok Ramani
Papanasam Ashok Ramani was born on 10th April in the year 1964. The world of music was revealed in front of Papanasam Ashok Ramani with the hands of his mother Dr. Rukmini Ramani (daughter of Papanasam Sivan). Then after he underwent training under the noteworthy musician Dr. S. Ramanathan. He has also bagged the honour of being trained under K.S.Krishnamurthy and Bombay Ramachandran. For the last several years, he is receiving training from Palghat K.V.Narayanaswamy. Papanasam Ashok Ramani apart from his music training has also exhibited his brilliance in the field of academics. He obtained his Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) from Anna University College of Engineering, Chennai. He has also worked as Deputy Manager, Materials in SPIC Heavy Chemicals Division, SPIC, up to December in the year 2000.
Career of Papanasam Ashok Ramani
Currently Papanasam Ashok Ramani concentrates on his musical career. Throughout his musical career he has performed at all most all the highly esteemed occasions. He has performed in Singapore, Malaysia and Mauritius in the year 1995; performed at the Thyagaraja Aradhana Festival at Cleveland, Ohio in April 1996 and April 1997. Also performed in the US on a 3-month tour in April in the year 1997; he has also visited Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia on a lecture-demonstration cum workshop tour in May in the year 2000. Topic of lecture demonstration was `Origin, Basics and Contributions of Carnatic Music and Works of Papanasam Sivan`; visited Muscat in October 2000 to participate in the Papanasam Sivan Day celebrations; performed at the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana festival in April in the year 2001.
Papanasam Ashok Ramani is also a well-established Mridangam player. He has learnt the nuances of playing Mridangam from Kumbakonam Sri.Rajappa Iyer. He has also executed as a Mridangam artist and while executing has companioned senior `Vidwans` on various platforms. Acknowledging his talent All India Radio, Chennai has absorbed him as a Grade `A` artist. At the time of execution Papanasam Ashok Ramani has been accompanied by senior artists on the Violin, Mridangam and other percussion instruments. He has carried through on Chennai Doordarshan, Sun TV, Raj TV, Star Vijay etc.
In the year 2001, Papanasam Ashok Ramani to his credit has composed, edited and released a CD-Rom on Papanasam Sivan. The CD was released at the occasion of Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana Festival. CD Rom is enriched with the life history of Sivan, rare audio and visual clippings of Sivan and for which by popular artists has sung over 50 songs. Some other audio cassettes released by him were Sunaadha Sugandha under the banner of Sangeetha Cassettes, Saraagam Cassettes, AVM Double Album and HMV. Sunaadha Sugandha has been released as CD by Sangeetha.
Apart from all these things Papanasam Ashok Ramani has also served as an active committee member of Papanasam Sivan Rasikar Sangam. He has been given the responsibility for fixing and coordinating the artists and the programs. For the last 1 year, he has been convoked and carried on Music Forum of Papanasam Sivan Rasikar Sangam every week by coffering lectures/ talk on Sivan`s contributions by eminent personalities.
Achievements of Papanasam Ashok Ramani
Many accolades have been conferred to him throughout his musical career. Papanasam Ashok Ramani has been conferred Isai Peroli by Karthik Fine Arts in December in the year 1999; Youth Excellence Award by Maharajapuram Vishwanatha Iyer Trust in the year 1998; awarded Isai Bharathi in August in the year 1994; Best Vocalist Award by Indian Fine Arts Society in December in the year 1994; Best Raga Alapana Award by The Music Academy, Madras in December in the year1994; Yuva Kala Bharathi awarded by Bharat Kalachar in December in the year 1994; awarded Best Junior Vocalist Award by The Music Academy, Madras in December in the year 1993.
