Home > Entertainment > Music in India > S. Sowmya
S. Sowmya
S. Sowmya is a Carnatic musician who in spite of being a brilliant student of IIT stopped her doctoral study in order to pursue her musical career. She has performed at several esteemed concerts and has been conferred many titles and honours.

Share this Article:

S. Sowmya, Indian Classical VocalistS. Sowmya is a Carnatic music singer who has been raised in a traditional South Indian family. She was trained by her father, Dr. Srinivasan, initially, but later, Sowmya learnt music from S. Ramanathan and T. Muktha. S. Sowmya being a noted performer also possesses the desire to propagate the traditions of South Indian music worldwide. Along with her friend and vocalist Shashikiran, Sowmya, in a joint effort, established an online institution, named Carnatica, devoted to instructions of classical music and dance in 1998. It also deals with archives, talent search and other activities related to Carnatic music. Eventually, Carnatica has become a popular online destination for music-related information, products, courses and discussions. Nadanubhava, the first complete reference CD of Carnatic music is also co-authored by S. Sowmya.

Early Life of S. Sowmya
S. Sowmya was born on April 16th, in 1969. In 1990, she completed her graduation in Chemistry and became a Gold Medallist and 2nd rank holder, from Meenakshi College, University of Madras. Sowmya did her Masters in Chemistry from Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, in 1992. In the year 1996, S. Sowmya successfully completed her B. A. in Indian Music, from University of Madras and was the 1st rank holder. Then she did her Masters in Indian music from University of Madras in 1998. This time as well, Sowmya was the 1st rank holder and achieved a Gold Medal. To concentrate on her music, she stopped her doctoral research program at IIT.

Career of S. Sowmya
S. Sowmya has had an illustrious career through out her lifetime. She has performed in several prominent and prestigious occasions.


•World Tamil Conference, Tanjore, in 1995
•Main concert at the Radio Sangeet Sammelan, New Delhi, in 1999
•Millennium Conference of the Indian Fine Arts Society, Singapore
•Vocal support for Dr. S. Ramanathan and T. Muktha
•Gandhi Smriti Concert on Martyrs` Day, New Delhi
•Jugal Bandhi along with Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarthy, Madras Bengal Association
•South Zone Hookup and National Programmes on AIR
S. Sowmya, Indian Classical Vocalist
Other than performing on the above occasions, S. Sowmya has also conducted Lectures, demonstrations and workshops for SPIC-MACAY, YACM, Chennai, as well as for numerous universities through out the world. S. Sowmya is also the Co-author of world`s first encyclopaedic CD-ROM on Carnatic music, named Nadanubhava. Moreover she had also launched the 1st guru based on Video CD and Karaoke on Carnatic music, named Nadopasana - My Own Carnatic Tutor. S. Sowmya is also the first musician to release a Video CD album on her live concert of Mahakavi Bharatiyar songs.

Other than these, Sowmya is the Managing Director of Srishti`s Carnatica Pvt. Ltd.; Actively involved in documenting Carnatic music as Executive Trustee of Carnatica Archival Centre for Music and Dance; Producer of popular music albums (Audio and Video) under the `Carnatica` label; Coordinator of several successful events such as Raganubhava, Sahityanubhava, Layanubhava, Vadyanubhava and Natyanubhava series; Successfully organised the World Music Day on the 21st of June, 2001 involving a number of musicians; Published a number of articles in various journals in India and abroad; Proficient knowledge of Sanskrit, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and French, besides English.

Achievements of S. Sowmya
Throughout her career, S. Sowmya has received several awards like, Kshetragnar Padam Prize, in 1985; MLV Award in 1986; Pankajam Rajam Award in 1987; D.K. Pattammal Award in 1988; T.V. Subba Rao Award in 1989; Pappu Kamakshiamma Award in 1993; G. Ramakrishna Iyer Award in 1994; T. R. Rajagopala Iyer Award in 1995; Ariyakudi Trust Award in 1996; Srirangam Gopalaratnam Award (Best Lady Vocalist) in 1997; Srirangam Gopalaratnam Award in 2005.

S. Sowmya has also been conferred many accolades and titles.

•Isai Peroli, Karthik Fine Arts, in 1996
•Nada Oli, Nada Inbam, in 2001
•Rasika Kala Ratna, Rasikapriya, Australia, in 2001
•Tamil Isai Chelvi, Australian Tamil Foundation, in 2001
•Nada Bhushanam, Shanmukhananda Fine Arts, in 2002
•Asthana Vidushi, Sri Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, in 2003 S. Sowmya, Indian Classical Vocalist
•Vani Kala Sudhakara, Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha, in 2004
•Bala Ratna, Shri Bala Tripurasundari Peetham, in 2005
•Sangeetha Saptha Sagara, Shanthi Arts Foundation, in 2005
•Sangeetha Siromani, Nungambakkam Cultural Academy, in 2009
•Sangeetha Choodamani, Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, in 2010
•Sivan Isai Selvi, Papanasam Sivan Rasikar Sangam, in 2010
•Distinguished Alumnus, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, in 2011
•Sangeetha Kala Sarathy, Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha, 2011
•Vidhya Tapasvi, TAPAS Cultural Foundation, Chennai, 2012


Share this Article:

Subscribe to Newsletter
Learn unknown facts about India from a curated list of informative articles.

Related Articles

More Articles in Music in India

Manjira - Musical Instrument
Manjira, also known as tala, manjeera, jalra, kartal, or khartal, is a traditional Indian percussion instrument. It consists of a pair of small hand. Manjira is widely used in religious ceremonies, folk music, and classical performances, showcasing its versatility and cultural significance.
Bhavageete
Bhavageete is a form of expressionist poetry in light music. It is a significant genre of folk music that unfolds the realities of life in an eloquent manner.
Kriti Carnatic Music
Kriti refers to one of the most widely used genres of Carnatic music. It originated from the kirtanas of the bhaktas, i.e., musicians who expressed their religious devotion through songs.
Music of Uttarakhand
Music of Uttarakhand has its roots in nature. The folk music of Uttarakhand is based on traditions, festivals and folk legends.
Music of Arunachal Pradesh
Music of Arunachal Pradesh reflects the socio cultural life of the people of that state. Music forms an integral part of the festivities of Arunachal Pradesh.
Rajasthani Musical Instruments
Rajasthani musical instruments are widely used as accompaniments as well as individually for entertainment.
Music of Tamil Nadu
Music of Tamil Nadu has an eminent charisma that reflects the pristine essence of the ancient art and culture of the region.
Thumri
Thumri belongs to the light classical genre of North Indian Classical Music that originated in the 15th century. It is known for its emotive melodies, poetic lyrics, and expressive renditions. Primarily sung by female vocalists, Thumri has evolved into a cherished form of music, captivating audiences with its melodic compositions.
Music of Kerala
With its origin in the primitive dances and plays, the music of Kerala has evolved to a high aesthetic sensitiveness and great technical sophistication since ancient times.
Ektara String Instrument
Ektara is a one-string instrument which is most often used in folk music in India. The Ektara was a regular string instrument of wandering bards and minstrels from India and is plucked with one finger.
Indian Musical Instruments
Indian musical instruments can be broadly classified into four categories like stringed, wind, Ghana Vadya and percussion.
Indian Folk Music
Indian Folk Music is full of rustic charm. The appeal of Indian folk music lies in the simplicity of its style and lyrics. Most of the folk songs are accompanied by dances.
Musical Instruments of Assam
Musical Instruments of the Assam are numerous which brings out the richness of the folk culture of the state.
Haryanvi Music
Haryanvi music is the folk music of the state of Haryana and is sung in western Uttar Pradesh along with the neighbouring districts of Rajasthan and Punjab.
Folk Music of West Bengal
Folk Music of West Bengal is practiced in different parts of West Bengal which is the semi-classical devotional genre of Kirtan.
Indian Classical Music
Indian Classical music originated in the Vedas and later branched into two streams of Carnatic and Hindustani music.
Musical Instruments of Ancient India
Musical Instruments of Ancient India, since time immemorial have contributed in making the Indian music more enchanting. A number of instruments have developed over time, which still finds a significant place in the music of modern era.
Carnatic Music
Carnatic music, also known as `Karnataka Sangitam`, is one of the two styles of Indian classical music.
Dotara - Muscial Instrument
The Dotara is a traditional musical instrument originating from Eastern India. This plucked-string instrument holds cultural significance in the region, producing melodious tunes that have been cherished for generations.
Tumbi Muscial Instrument
Tumbi is a type of string instrument that is mostly used in north Indian folk music. It features a high-pitched sound produced by a single metallic string. Popularized by Punjabi singers, the Tumbi has also made its mark in Western music also.
Xylophone Musical Instrument
Xylophone is a musical instrument consisting of several wooden bars which are struck with mallets; it belongs to the family of percussion instruments.