My guru VVS
THE WRITE-UP on V. V. Sadagopan (March 4) triggered memories which I would like to share with the readers. VVS and his brother V. V. Soundararajan, (the latter was an engineer with the PWD and was part of the team that constructed the iron bridge at Thiruvalam across the Ponni. This bridge was declared open by C. Rajagopalachari, then Prime Minsiter of the Madras Presidency who named it the `Rajendra Bridge' after Babu Rajendra Prasad) were in Ranipet. The duo and A. Parthasarathy (son of the late Aravamudan, camp manager at the Thiruvalam bridge construction site) became good friends. Parthasarathy, incidentally was a sub-editor with Silver Screen a bi-monthly from Madras.
This writer was an admirer of the late K. R. Jamadagni Naicker, freedom fighter, and would sing patriotic songs at public meetings. A kind VVS, who happened to hear me sing, taught me the rudiments of Carnatic music. The tuition, however, lasted only for six months as VVS left for London to act in the film ``Nava Yuvan" (Modern Youth), produced by Assandoss Classical Talkies.
In this context, it is worth mentioning the first music sabha at Ranipet (veteran Congressman K. R. Kalyanarama Iyer was the first president and A. Parthasarathi was the secretary).
The first performance was given by D. K. Pattammal and the sabha was inaugurated by Dr. P. Subbarayan, who later became the Education Minister in Rajaji's cabinet.
The last performance of the Ranipet Sangeetha Sabha was a charity programme and the amount was donated to the relief fund opened after the annual Congress exhibition caught fire and caused a huge loss. VVS presented a vocal concert.
When he rendered Tyagaraja's "O Rangasai" in Khambodi, S. Sathyamurthi, Congress leader and then Mayor of Madras, got up at the end of the song and said, ``Mr. Sadagopan, you will be hereafter called `Kambodi Sadagopan.'"
Sathyamurthi then requested VVS to sing Subramanya Bharathi's "Theerthakarayinile" and VVS obliged. The audience gave a standing ovation.
Later, after having dinner at Kalyanarama Iyer's house, Sathyamurthi again requested VVS to sing "Chinnanchiru Kiliye Kannamma."
The Congress leader hummed the song all the way to Madras where he was going to preside over the function organised to mark the completion of the three-year run of MKT's "Haridas" at Broadway Talkies.
As an admirer and true disciple of VVS, I presented to him two albums containing the reviews of his concerts with photos in 1943 and that happened to be the last time I met VVS. Another piece of information to be added here is about the song "Prema, prema nee illamal uranguvadenge" in Bilahari sung by VVS in the film "Madanakamarajan."
Through these columns I pay obeisance to my guru and convey my regards to the members of his family.
AMUTHAN RAMASWAMI
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