Flautist C.A. Sreedhara is known for blending the gayaki and tantrakari styles of playing

C.A. Sreedhara is a renowned musician (flautist and vocalist), composer, writer, researcher, art historian and musicologist.

He was born to musicians C.S. Satya Lakshmi and C.K. Anantharamaiah on October 6, 1961 in Chilkunda village near Mysuru. His grandfather, flautist and Vedic scholar C.T. Sreenivasamurthy Muralidhar, was an inspiration. Sreedhara was initiated into music at the age of four, when he began learning the flute and vocal music from his mother and then from the revered Venkatanarayana Udupa Shastri, who belonged to the sishya parampara of Sri Tyagaraja.

The child prodigy blossomed into a talented musician and his career commenced with flute concerts at the age of 14. Since then, he has presented thousands of concerts in India and abroad. His music is enriched with classicism and he has evolved an individualistic style that combines the gayaki and the tantrakari styles of flute playing. He is an A-grade flautist of All India Radio.

He is a researcher and holds several degrees, including ‘Vidwath’ in both Carnatic vocal and flute and a Ph.D in music by the University of Mysore for ‘Wind Instruments in Carnatic Music’. His research also covers inter and intra disciplinary areas such as Vedic music, music in Kannada literature, melakarta ragas, the Mysore Wodeyars and music and several treatises.

Over the years, All India Radio has broadcast several works of Sreedhara as lecture demonstration series — ‘Maharaja Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar’s Sree Tatvanidhi Ragamala’ in eight episodes in 2005, ‘Mela Ragollasa’ in 30 episodes in 2011 and ‘‘Nada Meemamse’’ in 14 episodes in 2014.

This scholar has been in the field for 40 years with the University College of Fine Arts, and has taught Carnatic music (flute and vocal), musicology, research methodology and film music. He has served as the Head of Department of Music and also as the Principal at the University College of Fine Arts, University Evening College and Maharaja’s College, University of Mysore. Currently, Sreedhara is a visiting professor of music in the Karnataka State Dr. Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University, Mysuru.

Formidably equipped, this academician has guided 25 Ph.D students and adjudicated 125 Ph.D theses from different universities. As a subject expert and resource person, he has served on several Boards — of Studies, of Examiners and of Appointments, besides being a part of doctorate committees and other academic committees in several universities and government bodies.

Sreedhara has organised, participated and presented lecture demonstrations at several national and international conferences, and research papers pertaining to practical music and musicology. The three books he has written and published are Sri Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer’s 72 Melaragamalika, Music in Vedas and Bharatiya Sangeetha Lekhana Malika Vol – 1. He has edited two books — Mysuru Wodeyars and Karnataka Culture, and Naada Yaana, and has also published 50 research articles. He has composed over 100 music compositions, including kritis in the 72 melakarta ragas. The scheme of the 171 melakarta system and the Loha Vamshi — a new type of flute are his innovations in music. He is the founder of Naada Mandira, a cultural forum dedicated to Indian classical music.

For his multifaceted work, he has received many awards like T. Chowdiah Award, AIR Award, Doordarshan Chandana Award, Ananya Shastra Koustubha Musicologist Award and Shreshta Acharya Award. The latest feather in his cap is the T.R. Mahalingam Memorial Award with the title ‘Venu Brahma’ in 2025.