Date:18/09/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/09/18/stories/2005091813170500.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Satyamurti's contribution to music remembered

Special Correspondent

He believed in the idea of people singing their way to freedom through music

CHENNAI: Freedom fighter S. Satyamurti was not only a great patriot but also a patron of fine arts, speakers at a function organised here on Saturday to pay musical homage to him said.

It was organised by the Satyamurti Centre and the Brahma Gana Sabha.

Satyamurti made an outstanding contribution to classical music, fine arts and films and had an abiding interest in using the mass media for spreading his messages, N.Ram, Editor-in-Chief, The Hindu, said.

He was a progressive thinker who was always considerate towards the deprived and believed in the "idea of people singing their way to freedom through music." Throughout his life, Satyamurti maintained his pursuit of excellence in music and his dream was now being realised through the various sabhas (which were propagating classical music), Mr. Ram said, adding that he was a man of ideas with a broad interest in cultural affairs.

Satyamurti was as interested in arts and music as he was committed to the freedom struggle, philanthropist Nalli Kuppusami Chetti said.

Satyamurti's contributions to the nation were immeasurable and both in Parliament and public, he was a diamond in the crown of Mother India, mridangam vidwan Umayalpuram K.Sivaraman said. As a patriot and music lover, he used music to spread the message of the freedom struggle, he added.

Lakshmi Krishnamurti, the freedom fighter's daughter and A. Natarajan, former director of Doordarshan, Chennai Kendra, also paid their homage to Satyamurti.

Earlier, a music concert featuring Umayalpuram Sivaraman on the mridangam, vocalist Sikkil Gurucharan, violinist M.A.Sundaresan and E.M.Subramaniam on the ghatam was also held.