M. G. Radhakrishnan

Not to be confused with M. G. Ramachandran.

M.G. Radhakrishnan
M.G. Radhakrishnan M.G. Radhakrishnan
Background information
Birth name	Malabar Gopalan Nair Radhakrishnan
Born	(1940-07-29)29 July 1940 Haripad, Travancore, British India
Died	2 July 2010(2010-07-02) (aged 69) Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Genres	Music Director Carnatic music Composer
Occupation(s)	Music Director
Years active	1978–2010

Malabar Gopalan Nair Radhakrishnan (29 July 1940 – 2 July 2010) was an Indian music director and Carnatic vocalist from Kerala.

Personal life

M. G. Radhakrishnan was born on 29 July 1940 at Haripad, in Alappuzha district, Kerala as the eldest of three children of music composer and harmonist Malabar Gopalan Nair and Harikatha exponent Kamalakshi Amma. He had his college education from the S. D. College, Alappuzha, and took Ganabhooshanam from Swathi Thirunal College of Music. Prominent singer K. J. Yesudas was one of his classmates there. His younger brother M. G. Sreekumar is a leading playback singer in Malayalam and Tamil cinema and his younger sister K. Omanakutty is a famous carnatic vocalist and academician. He died on 2 July 2010 in a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram due to liver disease, less than a month short of his 70th birthday.

Career

M. G. Radhakrishnan was a disciple of Sree Vidyadhiraja Hridayanjali, an Indian ascetic, and composed music for the ascetic's lyrics, which was sung by his younger sister Dr. K Omanakutty, a Carnatic vocalist. In his official capacity, Radhakrishnan worked as a staff and become the senior music composer (Grade 1) in Akashvani, Trivandrum. In 1962, he joined All India Radio as music composer. He used to conduct a 15-minute light music class through AIR, which made him music lovers' favourite.

He made his debut in cinema as a playback singer through "Unniganapathiye..." from Kallichellamma (1969), which had music composed by K. Raghavan. His famous songs as a vocalist include "Sharike Sharike" from Sharashayya, "Pallanayattin Theerathu" from Ningalenne Communist Aakki etc. Some of his notable concert performances were at N S S Headquarters at Changanassery and at Karrikkakom Chamundeswary Temple at Thiruvananthapuram. He then focussed at composing light music with most of them becoming big hits. Singers Sujatha, G. Venugopal etc. were first introduced through his non-filmy songs.

His debut film as a music director was G. Aravindan's Thampu (1978). The songs were fairly noticed, however the first notable work by M.G. was Thakara (1980). Songs from this film, Mouname Mouname and Kudayolam Bhoomi won him several accolades and fame. The other major works by him include Adwaitham, Devasuram, Manichithrathazhu, Rakkuyilin Rajasadassil and Ananthabhadram, which was his last work.

He has also composed the poems of Kamala Surayya, a famous Indian writer, through the album Surayya Padunnu.Radhakrishnan introduced K. S. Chithra, a singer and a student of Omanakutty, to the film and music industry by employing her in the film Attahaasam.

Death

Radhakrishnan died from liver cirrhosis on 2 July 2010 at KIMS hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. He was admitted there a week ago after his condition worsened, and was in ventilator since then. He was less than a month short of his 70th birthday when he died. He was cremated with full state honours at Thaikkad Santhikavadam electronic crematorium on the next day. His son M. R. Rajakrishnan is a sound recordist). His wife Padmaja, who outlived him for nearly ten years, died on 15 June 2020 after suffering a heart attack.

Awards

Kerala State Film Awards

• 2005 – Best Music Director – Ananthabadram
• 2001 – Best Music Director – Achaneyaanenikkishtam

Asianet Film Awards

• 2005 – Best Music Director Award – Anandabhadram
• 2001 – Best Music Director Award – Kaate Vannu Vilichappol

Filmography

#	Film	Film director	Year
1	Thampu	G Aravindan	1978
2	Thiranottam	Ashok Kumar	1978
3	Thakara	Bharathan	1980
4	Aaravam	Bharathan 5 Chamaram ((Bharathan)) 1980	1980
5	Njan Ekananu	P Chandrasekhar	1982
6	Poochakkoru Mookkuthi	Priyadarshan	1984
7	Parayanumvayya Parayathirikkanumvayya	Priyadarshan	1985
8	Rakkuyilin Ragasadassil	Priyadarshan	1986
9	Ayalvasi Oru Daridravasi	Priyadarshan	1986
10	Geetham	Sajan	1986
11	Sarvakalashala	Venu Nagavally	1987
12	Jaalakam	Harikumar	1987
13	Nombarathi Poovu	Padmarajan	1987
14	Vellanakalude Nadu	Priyadarshan	1988
15	Adhwaytham	Priyadarshan	1992
16	Manichithrathazhu	Fazil	1993
17	Devaasuram	I. V. Sasi	1993
18	Ammayane Satyam	Balachandra Menon	1993
19	Kashmeeram	Rajiv Anchal	1994
20	Agnidevan	Venu Nagavally	1995
21	Thakshashila	Sreekumar Krishnan Nair	1995
22	Rakthasakshikal Sindabad	Venu Nagavally	1998
23	Stalin Sivadas	T S Suresh Babu	1999
24	Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu	T. K. Rajeev Kumar	1999
25	Pilots	Rajiv Anchal	2000
26	Narasimham	Shaji Kailas	2000
27	Praja	Joshi	2001
28	Meghasandesham	Rajasenan	2001
29	Nariman	K. Madhu	2001
30	Kattu Vannu Vilichappol	Sasi Paravoor	2001
31	Achaneyanenikkishtam	Suresh Krishna	2002
32	Yanam	Sanjay Nambiar	2004
33	Ananthabhadram	Santhosh Sivan	2005

External links

• M.G. Radhakrishnan on IMDb
• Official website of M. G. Radhakrishnan foundation
• M.G Radhakrishnan passes away
• MG Radhakrishnan at MSI
• Remembering M. G. Radhakrishnan - K. S. Chithra (in Malayalam)
• Remembering M. G. Radhakrishnan - Sreekumaran Thampi (in Malayalam)
• Remembering M. G. Radhakrishnan - Fazil (in Malayalam)
• Remembering M. G. Radhakrishnan - Johnson (in Malayalam)