Former All India Radio Station Director, noted writer, composer and musicologist,
eminent broadcaster and artist, Sri Balantrapu Rajanikantha Rao passed away at
Vijayawada on 22.04.2018.
Born on 29th
January 1920, fondly called Jeji maamayya or simply Rajinee, Sri Rajanikanta
Rao began his career as a Programme Executive in All India Radio, Madras in
1941. He
composed and conducted music for Vadyabrinda (a national
orchestra), AIR-Delhi and Vadyabrinda, AIR-Madras. As the Programme
Executive in AIR, Vijayawada, he originated 'Bhakti Ranjani' a devotional
programme. He initiated and designed radio interactive programmes. Rajanikanta
Rao became the Station Director of AIR-Ahmedabad, AIR-Vijayawada and retired as
the Station Director of AIR-Bangalore (1976-78), completing 36 years in the
broadcasting field, during which his works were greatly admired. He was made the
Producer Emeritus of Akashvani in 1982.
Since the age of twenty one, he wrote
lyrics, composed songs and directed ballets.
He wrote and composed the first
ever broadcast Telugu song in independent India (titled "Mroyimpu
jayabheri") on the midnight of 15 August 1947, from AIR, Madras. Under the pseudonyms,
Nalini and Taranath, he has composed many tunes for popular movies, which won
him many accolades. His collection of children’s songs titled “Jeji mamayya
paatalu” and their composition are a hit.
From 1988 to 1990, he worked as a visiting
professor of the Telugu University, Rajahmundry. He then joined the
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) as a special
officer of the Sri Venkateswara Kalapeetham and worked there for 4 years. He presented
research papers on musicology in various conferences of Music Academy, Madras
on subjects that include Kshetrayya's lyrics, Geeta
Govinda, Ragas of Gandhara Grama, ancient scales of Indian music, etc.
Rajanikanta Rao made a name for himself with
operas, which have been choreographed by famous dancers like Vempati Chinna
Satyam
and Shobha Naidu.
His literary work, 'Andhra
Vaggeyakara Charitam' is regarded his magnum opus, which won him the Kendra
Sahiyta Academy Award in 1961. It consists of biographies of lyricists and
music composers along with a history and evolution of Andhra music and even now
it is a guide for Music Scholars. Sri. Rajanikanta Rao was awarded an Honorary
Doctorate by his alma mater Andhra University in 1980.
Sri B. Rajinikatha Rao spanned the world of
music and literature with extra-ordinary zeal. The numerous titles such as Kalaratna,
Kalaprapoorna, Naada Sudharnava, Pumbhaava Saraswati, Naveena Vaggeyakara
conferred on him, are reflections of his versatility. He won several national
and state level awards for his works. He is one among the
few who received both Sangeet Natak Academy and Sahitya Academy awards. He also
received Life time achievement awards from the AP state government as well as
from other organisations.
The State Government
announced that his funeral would be held with state honour today, 23rd
April 2018. The mortal remains of the doyen were brought to the office of AIR,
Vijayawada this morning around 10.40 am en route the funeral and the staff paid
homage to him.
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