"The learning process is continous. One gets new ideas even while teaching youngsters. Experience gives more knowledge, improvement, and eagerness to learn more." -Sri Palghat R. Raghu
*Please tell us about your parentage, early life, and fam
ily background?*
-Though my native place is Trichur in Kerala, I lived in Rangoon (in Burma) during my childhood. My grandfather, Mr. Radhakrishna Iyer had wide knowledge of music and other fine arts. I learnt my early lessons on the mridangam from Mr. Palaniswami of Rangoon.
My grandfather, seeing me playing on tin boxes and vessels thought I could become a mridangist and sent me to Mr. Palaniswami. All artists visiting Rangoon would visit my grandfather. Thinniam Arunchalam, brother of Tinniam Venkatrama Iyer, saw me playing mridangam and advised me to pursue it further.
During evacuation (1939), our family returned to India. Here I learnt mridangam from Trichy Raghava Iyer and Tinniam Venkatrama Iyer. Our family settled in Trichur.
*When did you contact Sri Palghat T.S. Mani Iyer? How long were you his student?*
-Elders in the family decided to send me to Mani Iyer, who was in Palghat. I used to walk four miles from my village to Palghat to reach Sri Mani Iyer's place. Once they wanted a mridangist urgently to accompany Sri Tanjavore Lakshmana Iyer (Nanu).
Mani Iyer encouraged me and took me to the hall. I played in my first official concert in his presence. I completed my B.A. degree there and married Mani Iyer's sister's daughter.
I was Mani Iyer's student till his death.