There is no denying that TMK is an extremely good singer. It is not correct to demand that a good musician should be honoured whatever be their foibles and chicanery.
Many great musicians have been ignored for Sangita Kalanidhi including giants like Flute Mahalingam, MDR, Ramnad Krishnan and Rajaratnam Pillai. Good musicians are a vast community and always present an ample choice for awards.
Some were deliberately overlooked because of their unbecoming utterances like Veena Balachander who belittled Semmangudi and Bala Muralikrishna.
Thus a tradition of excellence and geniality dictated the decision on awards of Sangita Kalanidhi.
TMK belittled (I am using an euphemistic term) MS Amma and many other musicians. He condemned what he called Sabha culture and in 2015 decided to boycott Sabhas including the Music Academy. The boycott of MA lasted till last year. This year, thanks to the ascendancy of N.Murali in the MA power equation, TMK is sought to be rehabilitated with an award and with the privilege of presiding over the December conference.
You would have noticed that Ranjani and Gayatri did not oppose the award being given to TMK but could not bear the insult of an insulting musician presiding over their Kutcheri. Veena Balachander's misdemeanor was a trifle in comparison to TMK's. But, Balachander did not have his buddy and benefactor as MA President then.
Kindly read RaGa's tweet and Murali's off course response and listen to Dushyant Sridhar's interview to Barkha Dutt. You will be convinced that the award is atrocious.
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