Well known mridangam vidwan Palghat S. Suresh, a graduate in science, aged 46, passed away on August 17 at Chennai after a brief illness.

A direct disciple of the maestro Palghat Mani Iyer and his son T. R. Rajamani, he was a faithful follower of the unique bani of his guru.

His well wishers said he did not succumb to the requests of many vocalists to play only 'sarva laghu' and meticulously maintained the standard set by his gurus. Connoisseurs of classical music appreciated his style of playing.

Suresh was an 'A' grade artiste of AIR and Doordarshan and had performed all over India and abroad.

He was a regular visitor to Indian Arts Academy, Melbourne, Australia, started by his disciple Yogaraj, in memory of Palghat Mani Iyer for taking advanced lessons in mridangam.

He had accompanied many senior musicians like, D. K. Pattammal, D. K. Jayaraman, Dr. S. Ramanathan, K.V.Narayanaswamy, Nedunuri Krishnamoorthy, B. Rajam Iyer, T.V. Sankaranarayanan, T.N. Seshagopalan, violinists M.S. Gopalakrishnan and T.N. Krishnan, 'Veenai' Chittibabu and Hindustani flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia in a jugalbandhi besides other musicians.

He is survived by his parents and brother Ramakrishnan, a scientist. His family can be contacted at phone no. 044 - 2243 0769 or 044 - 2493 5760

With a heavy heart, still not reconciled to the fact that my good friend and mahavidwan Palghat Shri. Suresh is not there with us anymore, I write this one:

Palghat Shri. Suresh was a complete artiste, a torch bearer to the Palghat Mani Iyer school of mridangam. His vidwat was extensive, his taste for Classical music impeccably Victorian and his ideals as a professional, lofty. He was a Master in the handling of the mridangam, as advocated by his Guru. The fire-brand chollus, the resonant thoppi and the playing which spoke the word 'gauravam' from the start to finish, in any concert. He seldom changed the patterns and korvais of his tradition for the sake of changing them. He never succumbed to the new-fangled ideas in the clothing of novelty. Yet his playing was fresh and interesting, every time. How could it be possible? Music ran in his blood and so he was able to freely explore avenues of innovation within the bounds of tradition, much like a sure-footed tiger in its own jungle.

I have had the privilege of being accompanied by this great artiste in many concerts as also his pleasant and elevating company during the travel times. His conversations, especially on music, were always to the point and underlined with firm conviction. He had a romantic ideology about even mundane things like a train journey, good food, etc. I remember, once during a train journey to Chennai after our concert at Mumbai, he waited till 5.00 PM to have lunch at Guntakal station. He was telling me, "You can get fresh and hot food here, well worth the wait..."

He was instrumental in organising my maiden tour to Australia in year 2000. He has done yoeman service to the Indian Arts Academy by imparting advanced training at Chennai, to all the students who were to attain arangetram-grade. To say that while doing so, he looked after each one them as his own son, is an understatement. His parents, the whole family was with Shri.Suresh in his endeavour, extending full support. I have sung for many such arangetrams and everytime, the mridangam-graduate-to-be has played like a seasoned vidwan - all the typical sollus, korvais of PMI school with elan, due to the monumental efforts of Palghat Shri.Suresh and his prime disciple.

During that tour of 2000, he travelled to Australia and Malaysia-Singapore with me and violinist Shri.Shertalai Sivakumar and those pleasant times cannot be erased from memory even during the next birth, if there is one. I have uploaded a photo in my website, www.rsuryaprakash.com where Shri.Suresh and myself share a child-like excitement, while fondling a kangaroo.

I cannot forget the accompaniment for the songs and the thaniavarthanam of Shri.Suresh at the packed hall in Melbourne after my main item. He played like a man possessed, it was nadam and sowkhyam for the kritis and fire and brimstone for the thani. I remember, there were more than two/three ovations, for the thani alone. Shri.Suresh's brilliant accompaniment contributed to the overwhelming successes of the rest of the concerts at Sydney, Malaysia and Singapore.
I remember his deft incorporation of the misra-nadai while playing for the kriti set in 2-kalai chowka, Adi Talam. His makutams will always have thadinginathoms clothed in interesting pharans, difficult to replicate. As an artiste who always had a penchant for improvising in sarvalaghu swaras, I used to find singing swarams to the accompaniment of Shri.Suresh always delightful, even though he rarely played sarvalaghu.
This was because, his patterns had sound logic and azhuttam and were always complimentary to the patterns of the singer. Also such a combination of the vocalist's saravalaghu swaras and his rarely-sarvalaghu playing inspired extremely rare and innovative manodharma patterns in swaraprastara. His playing had incredible azhuttam and resonance to enthuse any full-throated singer to give his best, without any inhibition.

Volumes could be written on this extra-ordinary artiste who remained self-effacing till his last breath, but more than our words our prayers for the "Sakshathkara" of the departed soul, do matter. The loss we have suffered is irreparable, but the golden tradition of Palghat Shri.Suresh will forever shine through his disciple Shri.Yogaraja Kandasamy and his students.

Suryaprakash R, Carnatic Musician
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