Training
He was born in Vizianagaram. His training includes the Sangeetha Praveena, a diploma from Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, and a certificate from the Maharaja’s Government College of Music and Dance, Vizianagaram.
He is described as the manasa putra, the disciple held as a son, of Mahamahopadhyaya Padma Bhushan Dr. Nookala Chinna Satyanarayana. The author’s note in Swararaga Kadambam names these as his Gurus:
- Mahamahopadhyaya Padma Bhushan Dr. Nookala Chinna Satyanarayana
- Sri Dwaram Durga Prasad
- Dr. Mythili
- Sri P.V.S.S. Sastri
- Sri B.A. Narayana
- Sri P. Raju
- Sri P. Chinna
Honours
In 1986 he received a National Scholarship from the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. In 1997-98 the Government of Andhra Pradesh gave him its Best Singer award, with a gold medal.
Concerts, broadcasts and lectures
He has given concerts and talks on All India Radio, Doordarshan and Bhakti TV and for many cultural organisations, and has served as an adviser to their music programmes.
He lectured on the forms of Carnatic music at a meeting of the North Central Zone Cultural Centre, Allahabad, and has given lectures and concerts at seminars held by the Government of Kerala.
Teaching
He taught Carnatic vocal at Saptaparni in Hyderabad, where his book Bhasuri was released in August 2015, and has taught students online. He is one of the Gurus at RAAGA.
