Musicians

Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer

Special Cover on

Semmangudi

The Department of Posts, Tamil Nadu Circle, issued a Special Cover on Mahavidwan Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer (1908-2003) on 25 July 2008 on the occasion of his birth centenary, at a special function held at the Music Academy, Chennai. The function was jointly organized by Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer Golden Jubilee Foundation and the Centenary Celebrations Committee. The special cover was released by the Principal Chief Post Master General, Tamil Nadu Circle. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India, released a commemoration volume on the occasion.

The First Day Cover has a portrait of Semmangudi. The cancellation carries a stylised picture of a tambura denoting music.

As in the case of M.S. Subbulakshmi, volumes have already been written about Semmangudi too, and hardly anything new needs to be added. (See Sruti 57/58, 60/61, 208, 231, and 287, and book titled Semmangudi: A Mosaic Portrait). Reverentially called "Sangeeta Pitamaha", he dominated Carnatic music with his monumental music for most of the last century. He was the last of the stalwarts of his generation of musicians. He was a lodestar for musicians of the younger generation, and will remain so for generations to come.