Seetha Doraiswamy

Kalaimamani Seetha Iyer Doraiswamy
An All India Radio Recording (c.a. 1950)
An All India Radio Recording (c.a. 1950)
Background information
Birth nameG. Seethalakshmi
Born27 January 1926
Adachani, Tirunelveli District, Madras Presidency, British India
OriginIndia
Died14 March 2013 (aged 87)
GenresIndian classical music
OccupationClassical instrumentalist
InstrumentJal tarang
Years active1937– 2013
LabelsHMV

Seethamma Doraiswamy ("Seetha Amma Doraiswamy") or Seetha Doraiswamy (Tamilசீதா துரைசாமி, sītā turAisvāMī 27 January 1926 – 14 March 2013), was a renowned Carnatic multi-instrumentalist. She was the last recognised female exponent[1] of a dying Indian instrument, the jal tarang. She was the first (and till date youngest) female musician ever to be awarded the Gold Medal of Honour from The Music Academy, the first Carnatic music Institute.[2] She is the only Jal Tarang exponent to have ever received the Kalaimamani award by Government of Tamil Nadu, in 2001, with the citation reading "(Seetha) has tirelessly worked to prevent the jalatharangam from becoming extinct and is often recognized only for that; it is time to bring to notice the fact that she championed for the cause of equal female representation during a time where our cultural norms may have not."[3]

  1. ^ "IMC OnAir JALTARANG – Waves of Sound (2008, part 1/3):Internet Archive". January 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  2. ^ "Entertainment Chennai / Personality : Musical waves with water". The Hindu. 16 December 2005. Archived from the original on 19 January 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  3. ^ "மகிழ்ச்சிக்கு மட்டுமல்ல; மருந்தாகவும் பயன்படுகிறது இசைக் கருவி | Pondicherry". Dinamani. 17 May 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2011.