Gurus & Family Legacy
Kanchana Sisters, hail from a highly respectable family, which is renowned for music, charity and benevolence. Their paternal ancestors were Tamil Iyyers who settled in Bajathur village of Dakshina Kannada District. They are the 4th generation in a family of core musicians:
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Father – ‘Kanataka Kalasri’ Kanchana V Subbarathnam was a carnatic violinist of par excellence and composer who accompanied Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar at age 9 and Maharajapuram Vishvanatha Iyyer at age 14! Their
mother K. Rohini Subbarathnam is a vocalist, composer, musicologist and guru.
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Paternal grandfather – ‘Sangeetha Ratna’ Kanchana Venkatasubrahmaniam was a famous vocalist – disciple of GNB, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, Chakrakodi Narayana Shastri – and completed his music education in Chennai. He was renowned for GNB style of singing.
Paternal great-grandmother – Vid. Kanchana Ananda Lakshmi was a composer and multi faceted artist, well versed in playing both Veena and Leg Harmonium. Her husband Kanchana Venkataramanaiyya was a music and Yakshagana patron.
Maternal Grandfather – Padma Sri Mahamahopadhyaya Dr. R.Sathyanarayana is a very renowned musicologist of International fame and a very revered srividya guru.
Maternal uncle – Dr. R S Nanda Kumar is a veteran vocalist and exponent in Taala avadhana and musicology.
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Gurus
Shriranjani and Shruthiranjani’s music gurus were their father Karnataka Kalasri Kanchana V Subbarathnam and mother Vid. K Rohini Subbarathnam.
They learnt avadhana pallavi from their maternal uncle Dr. R S Nanda kumar.
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Shruthiranjani is presently being mentored on violin and blessed by guru Padma Bhushan Dr. L Subramaniam.
