Fete to remember Raju Ananthaswamy’s legacy on April 19

Singer Ananya Bhat and drummer Manjunath Sattyasheel are organising a Raju Ananthaswamy memorial concert on April 19.

Titled ‘Raju: The Legend’, the concert is held once every two years to commemorate the legendary singer’s birth anniversary. He was born on April 19, 1973.

Both Ananya and Manjunath were students of Raju, and this is their way of paying tribute to their teacher.

Among the singers who will perform are Ananya, M D Pallavi, Ravi Mururu, Mangala Ravi, Ravi Krishnamurthy, Praveen B V, Pradeep B V, Sura Susso, and members of Manju Drums Collectiiv.

Raju Ananthaswamy sang some of the most celebrated songs, such as ‘Yenda yedati Kannad padagol’ and ‘Baduku jataka bandi’ from DVG’s ‘Manku Thimmana Kagga’, and bhavageethes like ‘Mucchu marey illade’, ‘Badavanadaru enu priye’, and ‘Ede thumbi hadidenu’.

The son of Mysore Ananthaswamy, one of the pioneers of bhavageethe, Raju worked in sugama sangeetha (light music) for about 15 years before his untimely demise in 2009. He was only 35.

His rendition of Gopalakrishna Adiga’s ‘Yaava mohana murali karyithu’ for the film ‘America America’ (1997) remains his most popular film song. He composed music for more than 200 poems.

At the concert, some of Mysore Ananthaswamy’s and Raju’s most famous songs, including ‘Banni harasiri tandeye’ and ‘Beladingala ratriyali’, will be performed. The concert will also include an album release and honorary awards for individuals who have contributed to sugama sangeetha.

‘Raju: The Legend’ on April 19, 7 pm, at Prestige Centre for Performing Arts, Konanakunte. Tickets online.