M V Vasantha Kumari no more

M V Vasantha Kumari, a former officer of All India Radio, passed away in a private hospital in Mangaluru on Saturday afternoon, owing to age-related illness. She was 88.

Basically from Mysuru, she was residing at Kadri Rocks in Kadri Kambala, Mangaluru, for the past many years.

She had served as an officer in various stations of All India Radio including Mangaluru, Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai between 1958 and 1991.

M V Vasantha Kumari had played a vital role in including the Saxophone as an approved classical music instrument in All India Radio.

Earlier in her career, in Akashvani, she had served as a lecturer in English.

Well versed in Kannada, English and Sanskrit languages, Vasantha Kumari had authored independent literary works such as ‘Swatantra Bharatada Rastrapatigalu’ and ‘Sri Krishna Charitamrita’, translated works including ‘Sri Valmiki Ramayana Sundarakanda’, ‘Asian Food Therapy’, ‘Astavyasta Badukina Striyaru’ and ‘The Spiritual Heritage of Tyagaraja’, among others.

M V Vasantha Kumari was a music enthusiast and had scripted various features for All India Radio.