Connoisseur and patron
LATE K. Parthasarathy Iyengar, advocate from Alleppey, whose birth centenary falls this month, was well known among Carnatic musicians and music-lovers as a connoisseur and patron of music. Better known as Papasami, he was one of the first disciples of Ariyakkudi Ramanuja Iyengar. He was a performing vocalist in his own right until the age of 35 or so, when his roaring legal practice and wide-ranging philanthropic activities claimed all his time. When mridangam maestro Palghat Mani Iyer played his debut concert in Alleppey as a boy of nine, it was Papasami that he had accompanied.
Papasami extended hospitality, friendship and support to leading as well as up-and-coming musicians of those days. So much so thata 10-year-old boy, who showed exceptional promise as a violinist, was put under the guidance of Papasami. That boy is none other than T. N. Krishnan.
Papasami graduated from the Presidency College, Madras. He was also associated with the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy. In 1946, he took the lead in founding the Sanatana Dharma College in Alleppey. Papasami's son, Alleppey Venkatesan, Carnatic musician has organised a function to celebrate his father's birth centenary on July 9 at 6.30 p.m. at The Music Academy Mini Hall. Tributes will be paid by T. N. Krishnan, Palghat Raghu and Padma Subrahmanyam. The function will be followed by T.N. Krishnan's violin concert.
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