He composed over 5000 songs, including devotional songs and ghazals, across Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi. His most successful compositions were based on Carnatic, Hindustani, Western, and traditional folk styles.
Dr. Biju Ananthakrishnan was born on May 30, 1971, at Kurathikad, Mavelikkara, Alappuzha District, Kerala, as the younger son of Shri. Ananthakrishna Pillai and the late Mrs. Kamalammal. He is survived by his daughter, Sai Lekshmi. He hailed from a family of musicians; his father, Shri. Ananthakrishna Bhagavathar, was a Carnatic musician and harmonist. His grandfather, Shri. Kurathikad Parameswaran Pillai Ashan, was also an excellent musician, and Ashan’s younger brother, Oachira Velukkutty, is considered one of the pioneers of the Malayalam music and drama field.
Dr. Biju Ananthakrishnan began his musical journey under the guidance of talented artists such as Sangeethacharya Guru Shri. Kandiyoor Ayyappan Bhagavathar and the great musician Dr. Nadarajapillai, where he gained expertise in Carnatic music.
Dr. Biju Ananthakrishnan created history in Indian classical music by conducting a 12-hour musical concert by chanting more than 300 ragas at a stretch in KPAC – Kayamkulam (on September 28, 2010), and “Swarasallapam,” a 24-hour program (April 22 to April 23, 2012) by singing classical swaras throughout the program in Abheda Asramam, East Fort, Thiruvananthapuram.
For his great talents, he received numerous accolades, including “Sanathana Sangeetha Kala Rathnam” from Samastha Hindu Vikasa Parishad (2000–2001), “Ragasree” from Varanapally Mahadeva Temple (2012), “Basava Sangeetha Shree Accolade” from Basava Samhithi, Karnataka (2013), and the “Swarachaithanya Award” from Neeravil Bhadrakali temple (2013). The International Peace University, Germany, granted him an honorary doctorate on June 1, 2019, for his 35 years of service to the arts and his comprehensive contributions to the formation of the branch of music called Music Meditation.
Dr. Biju Ananthakrishnan had composed and sung many devotional songs about the deities residing in major temples like Oachira, Kodungallur, Chettikulangara, Mandakkad, Vettikode, Harippad, Kurakkavu, Kattil Mekkathil, and Sabarimala. He had been under treatment for various ailments for quite some time.
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