M S Subbulakshmi award to perpetuate her legacy, Madras HC informed

CHENNAI: The Sangita Kalanidhi M S Subbulakshmi Award conferred on the Music Academy’s Sangita Kalanidhi-designate is meant to perpetuate the legacy of the late M S Subbulakshmi, and it is done without any commercial motive, THG Publishing Pvt Limited told Madras high court on Monday.
Noting that it had no role in selecting vocalist TM Krishna for the Sangita Kalanidhi award, the firm said it was the prerogative of the Music Academy.
The submission was made in response to a plea suit by the grandson of M S Subbulakshmi to restrain the Music Academy from conferring the Sangita Kalanidhi M S Subbulakshmi Award to T M Krishna for the year 2024.
“The firm bestows the award in the form of a cash prize on the awardee chosen by the academy at the inauguration of the annual music festival. This has been the tradition every year since 2005,” it said.
“THG Publishing or The Hindu by no means wish to interfere, influence, or cause any such act in the selection of the recipient of the award, as it is the sole prerogative of the Music Academy,” it added.
The prize is awarded every year along with Music Academy’s Sangita Kalanidhi Award. On March 17, the academy announced that this year’s award would be conferred on T M Krishna at its 98th annual conference in Dec.