The esteemed violinist Lakshminarayana Subramaniam conveyed his sincere appreciation to the Government of India for honoring him with the distinguished Padma Vibhushan award. On the evening of April 28, President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Padma award upon Subramaniam during a splendid ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, which was also attended by his wife, the celebrated singer Kavita Krishnamurthy. Following the event, Subramaniam expressed his elation, stating, ‘I am extremely happy. More than anything, I believe this is an award for all violinists, as this is the first time a violinist has received the Padma Vibhushan. Music has given me everything.’ L. Subramaniam, who previously resided in Southern California, has composed numerous musical works for prestigious ballet companies, including the San Jose Ballet Company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, and the Mariinsky Ballet, in addition to scoring music for films such as Salaam Bombay, Mississippi Masala, Little Buddha, and Cotton Mary. In a prior interview, he recounted his journey towards obtaining a Master’s degree in Western Classical Music. After earning his medical degree, he was advised to undertake a lengthy process to achieve a Bachelor’s in music before pursuing his Master’s. Instead, he submitted his tape to various institutions and was accepted by the California Institute of Arts and Ithaca, New York. Opting for California, Subramaniam reflects on his resolve to complete his Master’s degree expeditiously, fulfilling the requirements in just nine months despite lacking a BA in music. ‘I worked hard, spending most of my time in the library,’ he remarked.
