GV Krishna Prasad of Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandir in Bengaluru. , Photo Credit: Srinivas Murthy V
Earlier this year, in February, at the annual Spring Festival of Music organized by the Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandir, Bangalore, he was unusually missing at the entrance of the auditorium. He was always standing there, captivating the audience with his characteristic warmth. He was surprised to find himself seated in the first row even before the audience had filled the auditorium. “My heart is weak, I don’t have the same energy,” said the man who has dedicated his life to music for more than six decades. Krishna Prasad died three months later on 13 May 2023.
Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandir (SRLKM) came into existence on January 15, 1955 at Sannidhi Road, Bangalore. Vedanta Iyengar, Krishna Prasad’s father, was a music enthusiast, a respected teacher and scholar. A man who believed in serving the people, he won the Lok Seva Medal from the Maharaja of Mysore in 1949.
After the death of Vedanta Iyengar, his children continued to serve music. As a result, Krishna Prasad and his two sisters, GV Ranganayakamma and GV Neela, took over the running of the institution founded by their father. While Krishna Prasad worked a day job in the town planning department and devoted all his evenings to music, his sisters taught music and performed concerts. Whatever he earned he spent on music.
Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandir in Bangalore. , Photo Credit: Srinivas Murthy V
Krishna Prasad brought the best of Carnatic music to Bangalore. In addition to the Spring Festival, SRLKM organizes several other events which include regular concerts and sermons. From Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer to Maharajapuram Santhanam and from MS Subbulakshmi to today’s musicians, the institute has hosted them all. SRLKM instituted an award for young musicians, Raga Laya Prabha and Sangeeta Vedanta Dhurina for senior artistes. Krishna Prasad also organized Tyagaraja Aradhana every year on 26 January and invited experienced and young artists.
Ten years ago, Krishna Prasad started a music magazine, Lalita Kala Tarangini, and hoped to create a rich source of information for future generations. , And rightly so, the painstakingly well-crafted magazine has made its way into the archives of important institutions including the Music Academy in Chennai. Anand recalls, “I casually told Krishna Prasad that I had quit my job and was looking forward to spending my time in music,” not knowing that Krishna Prasad would come to his house the next day and give him the magazine. Will make the editor of He says, “I have learned a lot in this journey. Over the past ten years, the magazine has produced special editions on famous musicians. Krishna Prasad gave valuable suggestions and proofreaded each issue before it was printed. “He was very quality conscious and cost was not a factor for him,” says Anand.
“Every time I came to meet him and left for home, he said, ‘You must take care of the temple’. It rings in my ears,” says MR Yogananda, Krishna Prasad’s nephew and the treasurer of the SRLKM.
Krishna Prasad could go to any extent to connect people and music. Hope Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandir will continue to promote Carnatic music.