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{{Short description|Tamil actor and musician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2016}}
{{POV|date=July 2017}}
{{Cleanup rewrite|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name              = V. V. Sadagopan
| name              = V. V. Sadagopan
| image              = Madanakamarajan_1941_film.jpg
| image              = Madanakamarajan_1941_film.jpg
| imagesize          =
| caption            = V. V. Sadagopan (Seated) in the film [[Madanakamarajan]] (1941)
| caption            = V. V. Sadagopan (Seated) in the film [[Madanakamarajan]] (1941)
| birth_name        = Veeravanallur Vedantam Sadagopan
| birth_name        = Veeravanallur Vedantam Sadagopan
| birth_date        = {{birth date|df=yes|1915|1|29}}
| birth_date        = {{birth date|df=yes|1915|1|29}}
| birth_place        = [[Veeravanallur]], [[Tirunelveli district]], [[Tamil Nadu]]
| birth_place        = [[Veeravanallur]], [[Tirunelveli district]], [[Tamil Nadu]]
| death_date        = unknown<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kolappan |first1=B. |title=A talented musician, an illustrator and a gas connection |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/a-talented-musician-an-illustrator-and-a-gas-connection/article25754597.ece |website=The Hindu |access-date=6 June 2022}}</ref>
| disappeared_date  = 11 April 1980<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kolappan |first1=B. |title=A talented musician, an illustrator and a gas connection |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/a-talented-musician-an-illustrator-and-a-gas-connection/article25754597.ece |website=The Hindu |date=15 December 2018 |access-date=6 June 2022}}</ref> (aged 65)
| death_place        =  
| disappeared_place  = [[Andhra Pradesh]], India
| residence          =  
| disappeared_status = {{Missing for|1980|4|11}}; possibly deceased
| nationality        = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| other_names        =  
| other_names        =  
| known_for          =  
| known_for          =  
Line 21: Line 18:
| title              = Professor
| title              = Professor
| spouse            = Ranganayaki Sadagopan (1923–2019)
| spouse            = Ranganayaki Sadagopan (1923–2019)
| children          = Radhika Sridharan, Devika Raman, Vijaya Srinivasan, Krishnakumar<ref name="Through the Notes Of V V Sadagopan">[http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Through-the-Notes-Of-V-V-Sadagopan/2014/10/27/article2494463.ece Through the Notes Of V V Sadagopan]</ref> Devika Raman<ref name=hindu>[http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/mystic-gone-with-the-wind-his-music-stays/article6832308.ece Mystic gone with the wind..]</ref>
| children          = Radhika Sridharan, Devika Raman, Vijaya Srinivasan, V.S.Krishnakumar,<ref name="Through the Notes Of V V Sadagopan">[https://web.archive.org/web/20141212114934/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Through-the-Notes-Of-V-V-Sadagopan/2014/10/27/article2494463.ece Through the Notes Of V V Sadagopan]</ref> Lakshmi
| parents            = Vedantam Iyengar
| parents            = Vedantam Iyengar
| relatives          = V. V. Sundararajan, V. V. Narayanan, V. V. Varadarajan (Brothers), Jayalakshmi Santhanam (Sister)<ref>[http://www.fromammawithlove.com/carnatic-music-my-music-family.htm My Musical Family]</ref>
| relatives          = V. V. Sundararajan, V. V. Narayanan, V. V. Varadarajan (Brothers), Jayalakshmi Santhanam (Sister)<ref>[http://www.fromammawithlove.com/carnatic-music-my-music-family.htm My Musical Family]</ref>
Line 27: Line 24:
| website            =  
| website            =  
}}
}}
'''Veeravanallur Vedantam Sadagopan''' (born 29 January 1915, disappeared 11 April 1980, date of death unknown) was an Indian university rank-holder, ICS aspirant, film actor, music teacher, performer, and composer.<ref name=hindu />


==Personal life==
'''Veeravanallur Vedantam Sadagopan''' (born 29 January 1915 – disappeared 11 April 1980) was an Indian educator, musician and actor who served as a professor of music at [[Delhi University]].<ref name=hindu>[http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/mystic-gone-with-the-wind-his-music-stays/article6832308.ece Mystic gone with the wind..]</ref> Sadagopan was known for his efforts to promote children's music education and devotion to the [[Vaishnavite]] religious tradition, which led him to extensively research the [[Naalayira Divya Prabandham]], a Tamil verse compilation.
Born in Veeravanallur, a small town in Tirunelveli district, on 29 January 1915, Sadagopan, son of an insurance agent, Vedantam Iyengar, stood first in English, Maths, and Sanskrit in 1934 and came to Chennai to prepare for the ICS examinations.<ref name=hindu /> His wife Ranganayaki Sadagopan used to accompany him on tanpura on occasion. The couple had 4 children.<ref>https://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=874&start=100</ref> His sister Jayalakshmi Santhanam (1933-2018) was also a musician, known as Andhra's D K Pattammal, and a children's music teacher. His sister-in-law [[Ananthalakshmi Sadagopan]] (1928-2013), and her daughter Sujatha Vijayaraghavan and granddaughter Sumitra Nitin, are also noted musicians.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dhvaniohio.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/tribute-ananthalakshmi.pdf|title=Ananthalakshmi Sadagopan: (1928 - 2013)|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113184858/https://dhvaniohio.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/tribute-ananthalakshmi.pdf|archivedate=13 November 2021}}</ref>


==Writer==
Sadagopan was born in [[Veeravanallur]], a small town in the [[Tirunelveli district]] of [[Tamil Nadu]]. He came to [[Chennai]] in the 1930s, initially to prepare for the [[Indian Civil Service]] examinations, and began writing about music for the Tamil weekly ''[[Ananda Vikatan]]''. He also pursued a brief career as an actor, during which he starred in five films, but he later shifted his efforts to performing music. Sadagopan trained under the [[Carnatic music|Carnatic]] singer [[Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar]] and began to hold concerts across India. The Indian government named him a music director at the [[Gandhigram Rural Institute]], where prime minister [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] visited in 1959. Nehru was impressed by Sadagopan's performance, and appointed him to a music professorship at [[Delhi University]], where he served until 1975.
In Chennai, he became associated with Tamil writer V. Ramasamy better known by his pen-name ''VaRaa'' and landed in the world of journalism. He wrote for the popular weekly Tamil publication [[Ananda Vikatan]].<ref name=hindu />


He was a prolific writer in English and Tamil. Apart from articles on music, he has written poetry, lyrics and even a number of stories in Tamil, that were published in Ananda Vikatan.<ref name=tube>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EbDr6gYNY8 V V Sadagopan Adharam Neethan Endru]</ref>
In April 1980, Sadagopan disappeared for unknown reasons after leaving the [[Gudur Junction railway station]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]], while en route to Chennai from [[Delhi]]. His whereabouts and ultimate fate remain unknown.


==Film Actor==
==Personal life==
"He was a star, handsome and charismatic. He was a graduate and an acclaimed Carnatic musician. When I learnt that the producers of the new film were planning to have him as the hero, I knew that I stood no chance of being considered for the role," wrote MGR about V.V. Sadagopan, and the words of the former actor-turned-Chief Minister speak volumes for his talent and personality.<ref name=hindu />
Sadagopan was born on 29 January 1915 in [[Veeravanallur]], a small town in Tirunelveli district. He was the son of an insurance agent, Vedantam Iyengar, and first studied English, Maths, and [[Sanskrit]]. He came to Chennai in 1934 to prepare for the [[Indian Civil Service]] examinations.<ref name=hindu /> His wife Ranganayaki Sadagopan used to accompany him on [[tanpura]] on occasion. The couple had 4 children.<ref>{{Cite web |title=V. V. Sadagopan - Page 3 - rasikas.org |url=https://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=874&start=100 |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=www.rasikas.org}}</ref> Several members of his extended family pursued music. His sister Jayalakshmi Santhanam (1933–2018) was a musician and children's music teacher. His sister-in-law [[Ananthalakshmi Sadagopan]] (1928–2013) and her child [[Sujatha Vijayaraghavan]] were also both musicians.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dhvaniohio.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/tribute-ananthalakshmi.pdf|title=Ananthalakshmi Sadagopan: (1928 - 2013)|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113184858/https://dhvaniohio.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/tribute-ananthalakshmi.pdf|archivedate=13 November 2021}}</ref>


His good looks and music talents soon drew him to films.  He acted as the main actor in the Tamil film ''Nava Yuvan'' (Modern Youth) that had an alternate title ''Geethasaram'' (Essence of Gita). (It was customary for Tamil films at that time to have two names as titles).<ref name=mugam>[https://antrukandamugam.wordpress.com/2015/10/08/v-v-sadagopan/ V.V.Sadagopan]</ref>
==Writer==
 
In Chennai, Sadagopan became associated with [[Tamil language|Tamil]] writer V. Ramasamy, better known by his pen-name ''VaRaa'', and entered journalism. He wrote for the popular weekly Tamil publication ''[[Ananda Vikatan]]''<ref name=hindu /> in both the English and Tamil language. In addition to his articles on music, he wrote poetry, lyrics and even a number of stories in Tamil for ''Ananda Vikatan''.<ref name=tube>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EbDr6gYNY8 V V Sadagopan Adharam Neethan Endru]</ref>
The film was shot in London. It is the first ever Tamil film to be shot in a foreign country and V. V. Sadagopan became the first  to have acted in such a film.<ref name=tube />
This film bestowed on V. V. Sadagopan the distinction of being the first University graduate to have acted in Tamil films. The coronation ceremony of King George VI was also shown along with this film.<ref>[http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1937-cinedetails16.asp 1937 – நவ யுவன்]</ref>
 
His second film ''Adhirstam'' (Luck) was released in 1939.<ref name=mugam />
 
[[Gemini Studios]] started their film production in the year 1941 and produced the Tamil film ''[[Madanakamarajan]]''. [[K. L. V. Vasantha]], a successful and attractive heroine with many hits, played the female lead while Sadagopan was the hero.<ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/madanakamarajan-1941/article30818.ece Madanakamarajan (1941)]</ref>
 
The fourth film he acted was ''Venuganam'' released in 1941. The famous female musician [[N. C. Vasanthakokilam]] acted in the lead role with Sadagopan.<ref name=mugam />
 
The fifth and final film he featured in was [[Jeevana Mukthi]] Telugu film produced by [[S. S. Vasan]]. He appeared as [[Vishnu|Lord Vishnu]] in the film.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Narasimham, M. L.|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/blast-from-the-past-jeevanmukthi-1942/article2621450.ece|title="Blast from the past: Jeevanmukthi (1942)"|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=12 November 2011|accessdate=16 June 2017|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120915054549/http://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/article2621450.ece|archivedate=15 September 2012}}</ref>
 
He was hailed as ''[[Rudolf Valentino]] of the Indian screen''.<ref name=tube />
 
Afterwards, he decided not to continue the film career and went into the music field.<ref name=mugam />
 
==Music Performer==
He had his musical training under Namakkal Sesha Iyengar and [[Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar]]. He was a rare combination of a musician and a musicologist.<ref>[http://www.carnatica.net/artiste/sadagopan.htm V V Sadagopan]</ref>
 
He delved deep into [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavite]] literature and had given full-fledged concerts comprising verses from the [[Kamba Ramayanam]].<ref name=hindu />


He was a member of the audition panel of [[All India Radio]] (AIR) and also of the experts committee of the [[Madras Music Academy]]. He travelled all over [[India]] and abroad for his lecture-cum-music concerts. He represented Indian Music in the Centenary celebrations of the [[Moscow]] Conservatoire 1966.<ref name=tube />
==Film actor==
Sadagopan acted as the main actor in the Tamil film ''Nava Yuvan'' (Modern Youth), also known as ''Geethasaram'' (Essence of Gita). (It was customary for Tamil films at that time to have two names as titles).<ref name="mugam">[https://antrukandamugam.wordpress.com/2015/10/08/v-v-sadagopan/ V.V.Sadagopan]</ref> The film was shot in London. It is the first ever Tamil film to be shot in a foreign country and V. V. Sadagopan became the first to have acted in such a film.<ref name="tube" /> Sadagopan was also the first university graduate to have acted in a Tamil film. The coronation ceremony of [[King George VI]] was also shown along with this film.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160914051347/http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1937-cinedetails16.asp 1937 – நவ யுவன்]}}</ref>


==Music Teacher==
His second film ''Adhirstam'' (Luck) was released in 1939.<ref name="mugam" /> In 1941, he played the hero in the [[Gemini Studios]] production ''[[Madanakamarajan]]'', alongside the female lead [[K. L. V. Vasantha]].<ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/madanakamarajan-1941/article30818.ece Madanakamarajan (1941)]</ref> Sadagopan also acted alongside [[N. C. Vasanthakokilam]]  in ''Venuganam'' in 1941.<ref name="mugam" /> In his final film, ''[[Jeevan Mukthi]]'', a Telugu film produced by [[S. S. Vasan]], he played [[Vishnu|Lord Vishnu]].<ref>{{Cite news|author=Narasimham, M. L.|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/blast-from-the-past-jeevanmukthi-1942/article2621450.ece|title="Blast from the past: Jeevanmukthi (1942)"|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=12 November 2011|accessdate=16 June 2017|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120915054549/http://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/article2621450.ece|archivedate=15 September 2012}}</ref> Afterwards, he decided not to continue his film career and instead pursued music.<ref name="mugam" />
Teaching music to children was a subject close to his heart and he launched the Tyaga Bharathi, a movement to carry out his mission.<ref name=hindu />


The term Tyagabharathi was coined by him to epitomise the ideals of Saint [[Tyagaraja]] and [[Subramania Bharati]].<ref name=tube />
==Music performer==
Sadagopan had his musical training under Namakkal Sesha Iyengar and the Carnatic vocalist [[Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar]]. He was both a musician and a musicologist.<ref>[http://www.carnatica.net/artiste/sadagopan.htm V V Sadagopan]</ref> He studied [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavite]] literature deeply and gave concerts comprising verses from the [[Kamba Ramayanam]]. He travelled all over [[India]] and abroad for these lecture-cum-music concerts.<ref name="hindu" /> He was a member of the audition panel of [[All India Radio]] (AIR) and also of the experts committee of the [[Madras Music Academy]], and represented Indian Music in the Centenary celebrations of the [[Moscow]] Conservatoire 1966.<ref name="tube" />


"An ardent devotee of Tyagaraja’s music and admirer of Subramania Bharati’s ideas, he combined both to teach values to children. We used to visit schools and would sing and dance with children. They are not nursery rhymes, but penned and tuned to [[Carnatic music]] with the objective of moulding children," said Devika Raman, daughter of Sadagopan.
==Music teacher==
Teaching music to children was a subject important to Sadagopan, and he launched the Tyaga Bharathi movement to carry out this mission.<ref name=hindu /> The term Tyaga Bharathi was coined by him to epitomise the ideals of Saint [[Tyagaraja]] and [[Subramania Bharati]].<ref name="tube" />


When Soundaram Ramachandaran, a Minister in [[Jawaharlal Nehru|Jawaharlal Nehru's]] Cabinet, launched the [[Gandhigram Rural Institute]] (GRI), she appointed Sadagopan as the Director of Music Studies.
When Soundaram Ramachandaran, a Minister in [[Jawaharlal Nehru|Jawaharlal Nehru's]] Cabinet, launched the [[Gandhigram Rural Institute]] (GRI), she appointed Sadagopan as the Director of Music Studies.


"When Nehru visited the institution in 1959, he got a chance to watch the [[Kuravanji]] dance-drama of Sadagopan. So impressed was Nehru with Sadagopan’s talents that he appointed him as Professor of Music in [[Delhi University]]. He continued in the job till 1975.<ref name=hindu />
When Nehru visited the institution in 1959, he saw the [[Kuravanji]] dance-drama of Sadagopan. Nehru was impressed by Sadagopan's performance and appointed him Professor of Music at [[Delhi University]].<ref name=hindu /> He served two terms as professor at Delhi University and left in 1975. He was also a member of the board of studies in several universities.<ref name="tube" />


He served two terms as Professor at the University of Delhi. He was also a member of the Board of Studies in several universities.<ref name=tube />
==Religious contributions==
Sadagopan, a [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavite]], was deeply involved in religion. He conducted extensive research on the [[Naalayira Divya Prabhandham]], a compilation of verses, and he mentored students who continued his research. A trust called Sri Sadagopan Thirunarayanaswami Divya Prabhanda Patasala was started in the singer's name. With Srirama Bharathi, one of his disciples, he released ''Spirals and Circles'', a book that explains the concept of Carnatic music and the mindset associated with it.


==Religious Contributions==
Srirama Bharathi and his wife Sowbhagyalakshmi propagated Thyaga Bharathi songs through the trust and went on to compose tunes for the Nalayira Divya Prabhandam. After the death of her husband, Sowbhagyalakshmi continued the practice along with family and close associates. Targeting children, whom she felt would be the perfect audience, she began conducting summer camps in schools and composed songs for mentally-challenged children in special schools.<ref name="Through the Notes Of V V Sadagopan">[https://web.archive.org/web/20141212114934/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Through-the-Notes-Of-V-V-Sadagopan/2014/10/27/article2494463.ece Through the Notes Of V V Sadagopan]</ref>
V. V. Sadagopan, a [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnava]], was deeply involved in religion, and has done extensive research on [[Naalayira Divya Prabhandham]], a compilation of verses. He mentored disciples who went on to achieve great feats. His research was carried forward by his disciples. Srirama Bharathi is one of his disciples with whom he brought out a book called  ‘Spirals and Circles’ that explains the concept of carnatic music and thought processes associated with it.


Srirama Bharathi continued the works of the guru. A trust called Sri Sadagopan Thirunarayanaswami Divya Prabhanda Patasala started in the singer's name. Srirama Bharathi and his wife Sowbhagyalakshmi propagated Thyaga Bharathi songs through the trust and went on to compose tunes for Nalayira Divya Prabhandam. After the demise of her husband, Sowbhagyalakshmi continues the practice along with family and close associates. Targeting children, whom she feels would be the perfect audience, she conducts summer camps in schools and composes songs for mentally-challenged children in special schools.<ref name="Through the Notes Of V V Sadagopan">[http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Through-the-Notes-Of-V-V-Sadagopan/2014/10/27/article2494463.ece Through the Notes Of V V Sadagopan]</ref>
==Unique compositions==
Sadagopan composed music in several languages.<ref name=tube />


==Unique Compositions==
His compositions include [[Kriti (music)|kritis]], [[keerthana]]s, [[Ragamalika|ragamaligais]], padams, kili kanni and a series of [[Tirukkuṛaḷ]] keerthanais, wherein the Kural forms the [[Pallavi]] and is elaborated in the [[Anupallavi (music)|Anupallavi]] and [[Charanam]].
He was a composer in several languages.<ref name=tube />


V. V. Sadagopan's compositions include [[Kriti (music)|kritis]], [[keerthana]]s, [[Ragamalika|ragamaligais]], padams, kili kanni and a series of [[Tirukkuṛaḷ]] keerthanais, wherein the Kural forms the [[Pallavi]] and is elaborated in the [[Anupallavi (music)|Anupallavi]] and [[Charanam]].
He set the lyrics of [[Ambujam Krishna|Ambujam Krishna's]] "Gana Mazhai Pozhigindraan" to music.
 
He set to music for the famous "Gana Mazhai Pozhigindraan", a song from [[Ambujam Krishna|Ambujam Krishna's]] first volume.


He was the first to render a whole music concert of Kamba Ramayanam verses at the [[Karaikudi]] [[Kamban]] vizha. The music was set by him.
He was the first to render a whole music concert of Kamba Ramayanam verses at the [[Karaikudi]] [[Kamban]] vizha. The music was set by him.


He also set to music several [[Pasurams]] of [[Divya Prabandham]].
He also set several [[Pasurams]] of [[Divya Prabandham]] to music.


He has composed quite a few songs using the mudra (signature) Seshadasan.<ref name=tube />
He composed several songs using the mudra (signature) Seshadasan.<ref name=tube />


==Gone with the wind==
==Disappearance==
"He got off the train at [[Gudur Junction railway station|Gudur]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]] on 11 April 1980, on his way from [[Delhi]] to [[Chennai]]. Afterwards there was no information about his whereabouts. His family still believes that he lives somewhere," said T.K. Venkatasubramanaian, retired Professor of History of the Delhi University.<ref name=hindu />
Sadagopan disappeared for unknown reasons in 1980. T.K. Venkatasubramanaian, a retired professor of history at Delhi University, stated: "He got off the train at [[Gudur Junction railway station|Gudur]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]] on 11 April 1980, on his way from [[Delhi]] to [[Chennai]]. Afterwards there was no information about his whereabouts. His family still believes that he lives somewhere".<ref name=hindu />


Rumours of sighting him in [[Varanasi]] and in the [[Himalayas]] and consequent searches have yielded no results.<ref name=tube />
Rumours of sighting him in [[Varanasi]] and in the [[Himalayas]] and consequent searches have yielded no results.<ref name=tube />


==Centenary Remembrance==
==Centenary remembrance==
A birth centenary remembrance program was organised by ''Chandlian Memorial Trust'' and ''Lakshmi Kuppusamy Trust'' at Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan, Mylapore in Chennai on 8 February 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-downtown/remembering-vv-sadagopan/article6869640.ece|title=Remembering V.V. Sadagopan|work=[[The Hindu]]|accessdate=10 July 2017|date=5 February 2015}}</ref>
A birth centenary remembrance program was organised on 8 February 2015 by Chandlian Memorial Trust and Lakshmi Kuppusamy Trust at the [[Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan]] centre in [[Mylapore]], a neighborhood of [[Chennai]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-downtown/remembering-vv-sadagopan/article6869640.ece|title=Remembering V.V. Sadagopan|work=[[The Hindu]]|accessdate=10 July 2017|date=5 February 2015}}</ref>
 
==See also==
*[[List of people who disappeared mysteriously: 1910–1990]]


==References==
==References==
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* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdtwwIMOw1U Rama Bhajanai Seythaal]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdtwwIMOw1U Rama Bhajanai Seythaal]
* [https://gkamesh.wordpress.com/2010/05/09/vv-sadagopan-music-mystic/ V V Sadagopan - Music Mystic]
* [https://gkamesh.wordpress.com/2010/05/09/vv-sadagopan-music-mystic/ V V Sadagopan - Music Mystic]
* [http://i62.tinypic.com/1z2owbc.jpg Photo of V V Sadagopan (1969 in London)]
* [http://i62.tinypic.com/1z2owbc.jpg Photo of V V Sadagopan (1969 in London)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014025928/http://i62.tinypic.com/1z2owbc.jpg |date=14 October 2016 }}
* [http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ygYYdeXE1CkJ:www.thehindu.com/2001/05/22/stories/1322017c.htm Translation of the Prabandham]{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* Translation of the Prabandham
 


{{DEFAULTSORT:Sadagopan, V. V.}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sadagopan, V. V.}}
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:Year of death unknown]]
[[Category:1980s missing person cases]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male singers]]
[[Category:Carnatic singers]]
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]
[[Category:Male Carnatic singers]]
[[Category:Missing person cases in India]]
[[Category:Missing person cases in India]]
[[Category:People from Tirunelveli district]]
[[Category:People from Tirunelveli district]]
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]
[[Category:Year of death unknown]]
[[Category:Male Carnatic singers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male singers]]

Latest revision as of 08:50, 12 February 2026


V. V. Sadagopan
V. V. Sadagopan (Seated) in the film Madanakamarajan (1941)
Born
Veeravanallur Vedantam Sadagopan

(1915-01-29)29 January 1915
Veeravanallur, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu
Disappeared11 April 1980[1] (aged 65)
Andhra Pradesh, India
StatusMissing for 46 years, 3 months and 29 days; possibly deceased
EducationUniversity
OccupationFilm Actor, Carnatic Musician, Musicologist, Writer, Composer
TitleProfessor
Spouse(s)Ranganayaki Sadagopan (1923–2019)
ChildrenRadhika Sridharan, Devika Raman, Vijaya Srinivasan, V.S.Krishnakumar,[2] Lakshmi
Parent(s)Vedantam Iyengar
RelativesV. V. Sundararajan, V. V. Narayanan, V. V. Varadarajan (Brothers), Jayalakshmi Santhanam (Sister)[3]

Veeravanallur Vedantam Sadagopan (born 29 January 1915 – disappeared 11 April 1980) was an Indian educator, musician and actor who served as a professor of music at Delhi University.[4] Sadagopan was known for his efforts to promote children's music education and devotion to the Vaishnavite religious tradition, which led him to extensively research the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, a Tamil verse compilation.

Sadagopan was born in Veeravanallur, a small town in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He came to Chennai in the 1930s, initially to prepare for the Indian Civil Service examinations, and began writing about music for the Tamil weekly Ananda Vikatan. He also pursued a brief career as an actor, during which he starred in five films, but he later shifted his efforts to performing music. Sadagopan trained under the Carnatic singer Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar and began to hold concerts across India. The Indian government named him a music director at the Gandhigram Rural Institute, where prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited in 1959. Nehru was impressed by Sadagopan's performance, and appointed him to a music professorship at Delhi University, where he served until 1975.

In April 1980, Sadagopan disappeared for unknown reasons after leaving the Gudur Junction railway station in Andhra Pradesh, while en route to Chennai from Delhi. His whereabouts and ultimate fate remain unknown.

Personal life[edit | edit source]

Sadagopan was born on 29 January 1915 in Veeravanallur, a small town in Tirunelveli district. He was the son of an insurance agent, Vedantam Iyengar, and first studied English, Maths, and Sanskrit. He came to Chennai in 1934 to prepare for the Indian Civil Service examinations.[4] His wife Ranganayaki Sadagopan used to accompany him on tanpura on occasion. The couple had 4 children.[5] Several members of his extended family pursued music. His sister Jayalakshmi Santhanam (1933–2018) was a musician and children's music teacher. His sister-in-law Ananthalakshmi Sadagopan (1928–2013) and her child Sujatha Vijayaraghavan were also both musicians.[6]

Writer[edit | edit source]

In Chennai, Sadagopan became associated with Tamil writer V. Ramasamy, better known by his pen-name VaRaa, and entered journalism. He wrote for the popular weekly Tamil publication Ananda Vikatan[4] in both the English and Tamil language. In addition to his articles on music, he wrote poetry, lyrics and even a number of stories in Tamil for Ananda Vikatan.[7]

Film actor[edit | edit source]

Sadagopan acted as the main actor in the Tamil film Nava Yuvan (Modern Youth), also known as Geethasaram (Essence of Gita). (It was customary for Tamil films at that time to have two names as titles).[8] The film was shot in London. It is the first ever Tamil film to be shot in a foreign country and V. V. Sadagopan became the first to have acted in such a film.[7] Sadagopan was also the first university graduate to have acted in a Tamil film. The coronation ceremony of King George VI was also shown along with this film.[9]

His second film Adhirstam (Luck) was released in 1939.[8] In 1941, he played the hero in the Gemini Studios production Madanakamarajan, alongside the female lead K. L. V. Vasantha.[10] Sadagopan also acted alongside N. C. Vasanthakokilam in Venuganam in 1941.[8] In his final film, Jeevan Mukthi, a Telugu film produced by S. S. Vasan, he played Lord Vishnu.[11] Afterwards, he decided not to continue his film career and instead pursued music.[8]

Music performer[edit | edit source]

Sadagopan had his musical training under Namakkal Sesha Iyengar and the Carnatic vocalist Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar. He was both a musician and a musicologist.[12] He studied Vaishnavite literature deeply and gave concerts comprising verses from the Kamba Ramayanam. He travelled all over India and abroad for these lecture-cum-music concerts.[4] He was a member of the audition panel of All India Radio (AIR) and also of the experts committee of the Madras Music Academy, and represented Indian Music in the Centenary celebrations of the Moscow Conservatoire 1966.[7]

Music teacher[edit | edit source]

Teaching music to children was a subject important to Sadagopan, and he launched the Tyaga Bharathi movement to carry out this mission.[4] The term Tyaga Bharathi was coined by him to epitomise the ideals of Saint Tyagaraja and Subramania Bharati.[7]

When Soundaram Ramachandaran, a Minister in Jawaharlal Nehru's Cabinet, launched the Gandhigram Rural Institute (GRI), she appointed Sadagopan as the Director of Music Studies.

When Nehru visited the institution in 1959, he saw the Kuravanji dance-drama of Sadagopan. Nehru was impressed by Sadagopan's performance and appointed him Professor of Music at Delhi University.[4] He served two terms as professor at Delhi University and left in 1975. He was also a member of the board of studies in several universities.[7]

Religious contributions[edit | edit source]

Sadagopan, a Vaishnavite, was deeply involved in religion. He conducted extensive research on the Naalayira Divya Prabhandham, a compilation of verses, and he mentored students who continued his research. A trust called Sri Sadagopan Thirunarayanaswami Divya Prabhanda Patasala was started in the singer's name. With Srirama Bharathi, one of his disciples, he released Spirals and Circles, a book that explains the concept of Carnatic music and the mindset associated with it.

Srirama Bharathi and his wife Sowbhagyalakshmi propagated Thyaga Bharathi songs through the trust and went on to compose tunes for the Nalayira Divya Prabhandam. After the death of her husband, Sowbhagyalakshmi continued the practice along with family and close associates. Targeting children, whom she felt would be the perfect audience, she began conducting summer camps in schools and composed songs for mentally-challenged children in special schools.[2]

Unique compositions[edit | edit source]

Sadagopan composed music in several languages.[7]

His compositions include kritis, keerthanas, ragamaligais, padams, kili kanni and a series of Tirukkuṛaḷ keerthanais, wherein the Kural forms the Pallavi and is elaborated in the Anupallavi and Charanam.

He set the lyrics of Ambujam Krishna's "Gana Mazhai Pozhigindraan" to music.

He was the first to render a whole music concert of Kamba Ramayanam verses at the Karaikudi Kamban vizha. The music was set by him.

He also set several Pasurams of Divya Prabandham to music.

He composed several songs using the mudra (signature) Seshadasan.[7]

Disappearance[edit | edit source]

Sadagopan disappeared for unknown reasons in 1980. T.K. Venkatasubramanaian, a retired professor of history at Delhi University, stated: "He got off the train at Gudur in Andhra Pradesh on 11 April 1980, on his way from Delhi to Chennai. Afterwards there was no information about his whereabouts. His family still believes that he lives somewhere".[4]

Rumours of sighting him in Varanasi and in the Himalayas and consequent searches have yielded no results.[7]

Centenary remembrance[edit | edit source]

A birth centenary remembrance program was organised on 8 February 2015 by Chandlian Memorial Trust and Lakshmi Kuppusamy Trust at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan centre in Mylapore, a neighborhood of Chennai.[13]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Kolappan, B. (15 December 2018). "A talented musician, an illustrator and a gas connection". The Hindu. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Through the Notes Of V V Sadagopan
  3. ↑ My Musical Family
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Mystic gone with the wind..
  5. ↑ "V. V. Sadagopan - Page 3 - rasikas.org". www.rasikas.org. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  6. ↑ "Ananthalakshmi Sadagopan: (1928 - 2013)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 November 2021.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 V V Sadagopan Adharam Neethan Endru
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 V.V.Sadagopan
  9. ↑ 1937 – நவ யுவன்[usurped]
  10. ↑ Madanakamarajan (1941)
  11. ↑ Narasimham, M. L. (12 November 2011). ""Blast from the past: Jeevanmukthi (1942)"". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 June 2017.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  12. ↑ V V Sadagopan
  13. ↑ "Remembering V.V. Sadagopan". The Hindu. 5 February 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2017.

External links[edit | edit source]

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