What is the Times Thyagaraja Award?

In the year 2012, the talent hunt - Times Thayagaraga contest was organised to identify and honour the best talented amateur Carnatic singer at the Marghazhi music season.

The program began in a small way in 2012 and is now growing every single year with lots of candidate nominations from Sabhas. The event also boasts of celebrity concerts held at big venues like the Music Academy.

Great Carnatic music legends like Sudha Ragunathan, L. Subramaniam, Ranjani-Gayathri, Aruna Sairam, and the late Balamuralikrishna have rendered mesmerising performances at the Awards programme.

The Times Thyagaraja Award- The 13th Edition

The 13th edition of the Times Thyagaraja Award kickstarted in the first week of December 2023. Noted Haritha exponent Vishakha Hari along with last season’s winner, S Swarathmika, and last season’s second runner-up, Anugrah Lakshmanan, inaugurated the event with a performance that captured the Pancha Bhavas - the main thread of Haritha, as depicted by Rama and vice versa.

The auditions began on 9 December 2023 and the expert panel of judges selected the best candidates who auditioned between December 19 to December 23 at Muthamizh Peravai, T N Rajarathinam Kalai Arangam, R A Puram. The auditions lasted for 5 days and there were some stellar performances by Nithyasree Mahadevan, Ambi Subramanium, S Sowmya, O S Arun, and Shobana Vignesh. The grand finale is scheduled for 20 January 2024 and will be held at the Music Academy, where the top talent will have a tough battle for the title. The winners get an opportunity to perform with some of the legends at the Music Academy and also win gold prizes worth ₹2 lakhs and more.

Padma Bhushan Awardee Sudha Ragunathan and Padma Shri Awardee Shubha Mudgal along with their accompanying artists will be performing live at the grand finale.

The 13th Times Thyagaraja Awards are presented by Federal Bank. It is powered by Casagrand and Hatsun Curd, in partnership with SSVM Institutions, TNPL, Gopuram Turmeric Powder and Kumkum, and Indian Oil Corporation. The Awards are also supported by Tamil Matrimony. The goodwill partner for the event is Gokul Santol and the traditions partner is Mambalam Iyers.

Conclusion

Federal Bank's unique initiative of extending its support to Carnatic music aspirants via its partnership with the Times Thyagaraja Awards event is a testament to its dedication to cultural enrichment. Through this initiative, Federal Bank is not just investing in the dreams of the young talent but is also leaving a lasting impression on the cultural landscape. Federal Bank's involvement is not limited to just financial support; it aims to create an environment for young artists to flourish. Visit the Blog of Federal Bank to learn more about the various initiatives that showcase its commitment to the overall development of communities.