>Omnipaedista: note: the education parameter does not preclude the inclusion of years of graduation

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note: the education parameter does not preclude the inclusion of years of graduation

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{{Infobox person
| name = S. A. K. Durga
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1940|06|01}}
| birth_place = [[Kumbakonam]], [[British India]]
| death_place = {{death date and age|df=yes|2016|11|20|1940|6|1}}<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/Skilful-communicator/article16694044.ece | title=Skilful communicator | first=Suganthy | last=Krishnamachari | date=24 November 2016 | newspaper=The Hindu | access-date=13 August 2020 }}</ref>
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| nationality = Indian
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| education = [[Loyola College, Chennai]], [[Wesleyan University]] (doctorate in ethnomusicology), [[Yale University]]
| occupation = [[Ethnomusicologist]]
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| parents = S. A. Venkatarama Iyer, Lalithabai
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}}
'''S. A. Kumari Durga''' (1 June 1940 – 20 November 2016) was a [[musicologist]] and [[ethnomusicologist]] from the [[Indian state]] of [[Tamil Nadu]]. She was the founder of the Centre for Ethnomusicology based in [[Chennai]].

== Early life ==
Durga was born in [[Kumbakonam]], Tamil Nadu on 1 June 1940 to S. A. Venkatarama Iyer and Lalithabai.<ref name="bio1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.saigan.com/heritage/music/garlandd.htm|title= Profiles of Artistes, Composers, Musicologists|access-date=7 December 2008|publisher=Indian Heritage website}}</ref><ref name="tamilelibrary">{{Cite web|url=http://tamilelibrary.org/articoli-238.html|title=Dates of Carnatic Music composers, musicologists and vocalists|access-date=7 December 2008|publisher=Tamil Electronic Library}}</ref> Durga had her initial coaching in [[Carnatic music]] from her mother, Lalithabai,<ref name="thehindu_voiceculture">{{cite news | last=Jayakumar | first=G. | title= On the science of voice culture | date=28 October 2005 | url =http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/10/28/stories/2005102801180200.htm | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20060629025208/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/10/28/stories/2005102801180200.htm | url-status =dead | archive-date =29 June 2006 | access-date = 7 December 2008 | work=[[The Hindu]] | location=Chennai, India}}</ref> who was a reputed ''harikatha'' expert and a disciple of [[Kumbakonam Rajamanickam Pillai|Rajamanickam Pillai]].<ref name="bio1" /> Her grandfather, [[S. A. Swaminatha Iyer]], was a famous patron of Carnatic music.<ref name="sakdurga_thehindu">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/12/12/stories/2008121251230300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219143323/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/12/12/stories/2008121251230300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 December 2008|title=For intellectual appeal|date=12 December 2008|last=Krishnamachari|first=Suganthy|access-date=13 December 2008|work=[[The Hindu]]|location=Chennai, India}}</ref> She began having music lessons from Tirukkodikaval Venkatarama Iyer at the age of eight<ref name="sakdurga_thehindu" /> and from [[Madurai Mani Iyer]] at the age of eleven.<ref name="sakdurga_thehindu" /> She had her advanced training from [[T. Viswanathan]] and [[Balamuralikrishna]].<ref name="bio1" /><ref name="thehindu_voiceculture" /> She learnt [[Hindustani classical music]] from Ustad Mohammed Munnawar of [[Delhi]].<ref name="thehindu_voiceculture" />

== Education ==

Durga pursued her [[postgraduate education]] in [[voice culture]] at the [[University of Madras]].<ref name="gnanasamudhra_thehindu">{{cite news | title= 'Gnana Samudhra' award | date=12 November 2006 | url =http://www.hinduonnet.com/2006/11/12/stories/2006111214550200.htm | work =The Hindu| access-date = 8 December 2008}}</ref> As a part of her studies in voice culture, she studied physiology under [[Otolaryngology|ENT]] doctors M.S. Venkataraman and S. Ramasamy.<ref name="gnanasamudhra_thehindu" /> On completion of her postgraduate degree, she worked as a lecturer at the university from 1976 to 1979.<ref name="gnanasamudhra_thehindu" /> During her service as lecturer, she was invited to participate at the International Institute for Experimental Research in Singing at [[Denver]], Colorado, where her paper on "Voice Abuse and misuse" was adjudged the best. She completed her doctorate in [[ethnomusicology]] at [[Wesleyan University]], US.<ref name="gnanasamudhra_thehindu" /><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/music/article2051570.ece | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | first=Aruna | last=Chandaraju | title=Holding forth | date=26 May 2011}}</ref> On 8 March 1984, she performed at a celebration marking the 150th anniversary of Wesleyan University.<ref name="wesleyancollege_concert">{{cite news | last=Rockwell | first=John | title= CONCERT: WESLEYAN U. | date=8 March 1984 | url =https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A03E1D81539F93BA35750C0A962948260 | work =The New York Times | access-date = 7 December 2008}}</ref>

On obtaining her doctorate, Durga carried out a comparative study of [[Gregorian chant|Gregorian]] and [[Vedic chant]]s and Thevaram hymns as a part of her post-doctoral research work at [[Yale University]].<ref name="gnanasamudhra_thehindu" /><ref name="sak_yalemagazine">{{cite journal | title=Alumni News| journal=Prism| year=2006| volume=XIV| issue=7| page=5| url=http://www.yale.edu/ism/Prism/pdf/PrismMay06F.pdf}}</ref>

== Awards and honors ==

In 1984, Durga was awarded the Eleanor Roosevelt International Fellowship of International Federation of University of Women.<ref name="gnanasamudhra_thehindu" /><ref name="sakdurgeofficialsite">{{Cite web|url=http://www.geocities.com/sakdurga/default.htm|title=S. A. K. Durga's biography from personal website|access-date=7 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091022130123/http://geocities.com/sakdurga/default.htm|archive-date=22 October 2009}}</ref> She was awarded the title "Skylark of India" by the American Theatre Group of New York<ref name="gnanasamudhra_thehindu" /> and the Gnana Samudhra award by "Samudhra" magazine on the occasion of its fourth anniversary.<ref name="gnanasamudhra_thehindu" />

== Work ==

Durga served as the Professor Emeritus of the Department of Indian music at the University of Madras<ref name="sak_yalemagazine" /> for four years<ref name="gnanasamudhra_thehindu" /> and founded the centre of Ethnomusicology in [[Chennai]] and currently serves as its director.<ref name="sak_yalemagazine" /><ref name="centreofethnomusicology1">{{cite book | title=The Journal of the Music Academy, Madras| year=1999| pages=120| publisher=Music Academy| location=Chennai}}</ref> Durga is the first Asian to have written a book on ethnomusicology.<ref name="sakdurga_thehindu" />

From 25 January 2000 to 23 May 2000, Durga wrote a weekly column on ethnomusic for chennaionline.com.<ref name="chennaionline_listofarticles">{{Cite web|url=http://archives.chennaionline.com/columns/ethnomusic/index.asp|title=Articles by Dr. S. A. K. Durga|access-date=8 December 2008|publisher=chennaionline|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215053024/http://archives.chennaionline.com/columns/ethnomusic/index.asp|archive-date=15 February 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref> She was one of the participants at the First International Conference on [[Murugan]] held in Chennai between 28 and 30 December 1998<ref name="muruganconference">{{Cite web|url=http://murugan.org/events/98_participants.htm|title=Profiles of Murukan Conference Participants|access-date=8 December 2008|publisher=murugan.org}}</ref> and in the Second International Murugan Conference held in [[Mauritius]] between 24 and 29 April 2001, where she delivered a lecture on "Lord Murugan in Nada Rupa – A critical study".<ref name="muruganconference_durga">{{Cite web|url=http://murugan.org/events/2001-programme.htm|title=Programme of Conference Activities|access-date=8 December 2008|publisher=murugan.org|work=Second International Conference on Skanda-Murukan }}</ref>

== Publications ==

* {{cite book | title=Ethnomusicology: A Study of Intercultural Musicology| last=Durga| first=S. A. K.| year=1996| publisher=CBR Rhythms| location=Chennai|isbn=81-88827-01-0}}
* {{cite book | title=The Opera in South India| last=Durga| first=S. A. K.| year=1979| publisher=B. R. Publishing Corporation|isbn=81-88827-02-9}}
* {{cite book | title=Voice Culture: With Special Reference to South Indian Music| last=Durga| first=S. A. K.|author2=M. Balamuralikrishna| year=1978| publisher=Indian Musicological Society}}
* {{cite book | title=Distance Education in Music| last=Mehta| first=Ramanlal Chhotalal|author2=S. A. K. Durga| year=2003| publisher=Indian Musicological Society}}
* {{cite book | title=Voice Culture: Art of Voice Cultivation| last=Durga| first=S. A. K.| year=2007| publisher=BR Rhythms| isbn=978-81-88827-13-8}}
* {{cite book | title=A New Approach to Indian Musicological Methodology: An Ethnomusicological Perspective| last=Durga| first=S. A. K.| year=1989| publisher=UMI Dissertation Information Service}}

== References ==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Durga, S. A. K.}}
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:Ethnomusicologists]]
[[Category:Female Carnatic singers]]
[[Category:Carnatic singers]]
[[Category:Wesleyan University alumni]]
[[Category:Yale University alumni]]
[[Category:People from Thanjavur district]]
[[Category:Women musicians from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Singers from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women singers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian singers]]
[[Category:Indian women anthropologists]]

S. A. K. Durga - Revision history

>Omnipaedista: note: the education parameter does not preclude the inclusion of years of graduation