Gifted musician and music director M. G. Radhakrishanan who can be credited with reviving the light music scenario in Malayalam as well as considerably narrowing the gap between Malayalam film music and high quality Carnatic classical music.

The son of the eminently talented composer and famous yesteryear Ottanthullal vidvan Malabar Gopalan Nair and disciple of the redoubtable Semangudi Srinivasaiyer at Swati Tirunal Music College, Thiruvananthapuram, he had a brilliant career as a composer in All India Radio, Thiruvananthapuram. Many of the semi classical songs composed by him during his long and distinguished career in AIR are still popular, even among the new generation, born and bred in rock and hard metal!

Radhakrishnan had an excellent innings as a music director in the film world also. The music he scored for the famous "Mani Chitra Thazhu", incorporating a judicious mix of classical and folk elements, is one of the classics in Indian cinema.

For a short while he had also took to the Carnatic concert stage, teaming up with another illustrous product of the Swati Tirunal College - vidvan the late Neyyatinkara Vasudevan. This correspondent rememebers the Mohanam alapana and the presentation of Nanupalimpa by the duo, with manodharma swaras raining 'cats and dogs" from both the equally talented musicians - both gifted with the uncanny knack of reading the mood of the audience with an uncanny accuracy!

Numerous music artistes of Malayalam - like Sujatha, K S Chitra and Venugopal are the finds of none other than MGR.

Besides his wife and two children, his sister and senior musician Dr Omanakutty and younger brother and famous playback singer M G Sreekumar have been left deeply saddened by the sudden demise of this lovable human being and excitable musical genius.

M. G. Radhakrishanan photo: courtesy indiain2010.info