Salem K. Meera

Salem K. Meera is a Carnatic musician in Salem. She is well-versed in vocal, veena and keyboard. Salem K.Meera has composed so many swara jathis, varnams, thilanas and Tamil songs. She runs a music school in the name of her parents "“Sri Gowri Kanakasabapathy Gana Vidya Nilayam”" at her residence right from 2-2-1977 and trained thousands of students in Karnatic vocal, veena and keyboard without a break. The school has been running with interesting subjects with variety of students which encourages lot of group study with a very well guru – student relationship.
She is the Joint President of Salem Sangeetha Vidwath sabha for the past three years. Also she has served as the President of the sabha for six years, secretary for six years. Committee member and vice president for 12 years. She is an active and creative participant in the sabha activities. She has been performing in the Salem sabha from 1950 until now (2011).
Personal life.
Salem K.Meera is the daughter of Late Sri.S. Kanakasabapathy mudaliar and Mrs. Gowri Kanakasabapathy. Her mother is a great Sangeetha vidushi, Devi upasagi and a disciple of Arumuga mudaliar who is a student of Tiger Varadachariar. She was born on 18-Oct-1946. She is also the niece of Kalaimamani. Salem S. Jayalakshmi.
Gurus.
She started her music career under the guidance of her mother. Later she was trained by her gurus Narasimha Bagavadar who was also a music director for modern theaters at Salem and then by Sri. Eachankudi N.Ramamoorthi. Later on she continued it with Mysore Asthana Vidwan Sri.M.Manavala Naidu who got the title "Swara Sahithya Kartha" in seven languages from Sri. Harikesanallur Muthiah Bagavadar. Sri.M.Manavala Naidu's guru was Sri. Belakuvadi Srinivasa Iyengar.
Early age.
A well performer of ‘"Isai Sorpozhivu"’ right from her fourth year, she started her career in front of Arch Bishop of Rome. In her young age without any stage fear she performed various concerts and also taken part in many intra and inter school competitions and won gold medals in music.
Titles.
In her 25th year she got many titles like "Gana Kalavani" honoured and given by Silasri. GnanaPrakasa Swamigal of Kanchi Thondai Mandala mutt. She was also blessed and honored by Kanchi Maha Periyavar on 1-4-1970 at Kolla Chatram Kanchi.
Performances and honors.
• On 10-2-1972 she was honored by the great Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri K.Mudikondan Venkatrama Iyer for rendering "108 Chakra Thala Pallavis".
• She had given an excellent "demonstration on a pallavi on “Tribinna thalam” in the raga Kalyani" during the "All India Musicians Conference" at Kutchalambal Chautru at Bangalore.
• She had given many concerts at Music Academy, Tamil Isai Sangham and Bharadhya Vidya Bhavan. These concerts were presided by many great musicians like Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri. Chembai Vaidyanada Bagavadar, Late Kavi Sri.Subramanya Iyer, Mudikonda Venkatrama Iyer, Late Manakkal Rangarajan.
• She was honored and praised by Minerva Principal and great music critic Sri.Prasuram Iyer.
• She had given great performance for about 4 1/2 hrs at Thiruvarur thepa uthsavam and many main programs at Mysore Dasara festival.
• Also she had performed at Bidaram Rama Mandiram sabha concert at Bangalore, with accompanies Sri. Seshagiri Rao on violin and Sri. Nagapushana Achariar on the mridangham. Seshagiri Rao's guru was Sri. T. Chowdaiya.
• She had self tuned and sang the Tamil navagraha krithi at All India Jothidar Mahanadu under the auspicious presence of Murugu Rajendaran at Salem
Theosophical society. At this occasion she received the title "Laya Gnana Isai Perarasi" and was appreciated and blessed by Sri. Trichy Thayumanavan.
• She was honored for her music service rendered to the salemites by the Salem Rotary Club.
• She was honored as a veteran musician by the junior chamber of Salem Sangeetha sabha on world Women’s day in 2006.
She was honored by SriMathaji of Rajarajeshwari Mahila Samajam of Salem for singing her compositions, the padhinetu padigal, Geetha’s thapanyam in 18
venpas, in 18 ragas as ragamaliga.
• Also she had performed for Telugu Samajam, Sri Mayama centre at Salem and Mouna guru swamigal adhistanam at Dhindukal.
Accompanies.
She was accompanied by well known musicians on the instruments for her vocal, veena and keyboard concerts. She had been accompanied by musicians like Coimbatore CN.Ramaswamy, Thiru M.N.Kandaswamy, Sri Manarkudi Eswaran, Sri Madurai Chellapa, Bangalore Veerabadraya, Sri Gadam Manjunathan, Sri Bangalore T.A.S Mani, Chikkal Bhaskaran, T.R Kesavalu, Papanasam Smt.Balasaraswathy, Delhi Lalitha, Bangalore Seshagiri Rao, Kandadhevi Alagiriswamy, Coimbatore B.Dakshinamoorthy and many more.
Culture and tradition.
She brings up Hindu culture & tradition and she celebrates every festival accordingly. She not only teaches music to her disciples but also the Hindu tradition & culture.
Salem Sangeetha Vidwath Sabha.
Salem sabha has been conducting quality Carnatic music concerts with so many popular artists performing every year in the month of May at Salem, Tamil Nadu, India.