Neyyattinkara Vasudevan (1938–13 May 2008) was a Carnatic music vocalist from Kerala in south India.Obituary in Sruti magazine, page 19 August 2008 issue The Padma Shri-winning Carnatic vocalist and disciple of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and Ramnad Krishnan, he combined tradition and innovation in his widely acclaimed career. Vasudevan is famous as being one of the first from the Dalit community to excel in the field which was previously the preserve of the upper castes.
Biography Vasudevan born in a poor Dalit family, in a village near Neyyattinkara in southern Travancore. He did his formal music studies from the Swati Tirunal Music College, Thiruvananthapuram, chiefly under Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. He also did advanced studies under Ramnad Krishnan. He passed Ganabhushanam in 1960 and Sangeetha Vidwan in 1962.
He worked as assistant professor at the RLV College of Music, Thrippunithura, for nearly a decade before joining All India Radio as an A-grade staff vocalist in 1974. He retired in 2000 and was later ranked 'A Top', the highest honour given by AIR to classical musicians.
He died due to liver cirrhosis on 13 May 2008 in Thiruvananthapuram aged 68. He was survived by his two sons, Jayaraj and Baburaj, when he died. Ammukkutty, his wife, predeceased him.
Awards Padma Shri in 2004 Swati Puraskaram in 2006Swati award for Neyyattinkara Vasudevan from "The Hindu" newspaper Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship in 1989 Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award in 1981 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1970
Movies He has also sung for some Malayalam movies. YearSongMovie1968Sarasa SuvadanaEnipadikal1987Parama PurushaSwathi Thirunal1987Mamava Sada JananiSwathi Thirunal1987KosalendraSwathi Thirunal1987Pannakendra SayanaSwathi Thirunal1988NagumomuChitram1990Sree JaanaveedharamVachanam2000Geyam hari naamadheyamMazha2000PaarukkulleMazha
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