G. V. Atri

He was born in Kanakapura and raised in Bangalore city. He was trained in Hindustani form of Indian classical music during his formative years under guru, Sheshadri Gavai of Bangalore.

G.V. Atri specialized in Sugama Sangeetha (Light music), the modern singing form. He also sang as a playback singer for more than a dozen Kannada movies. He was very popular in performing live on public stage with variety of songs. He was popularly known as Junior P.B. Sreenivas, as his voice resembled that of the ace playback singer of yesteryear, P.B. Sreenivas.
He composed and sang a few thousand songs encompassing musical repertoire of romantic, devotional, patriotic, folk and children's songs for many of his albums.

He was also a member of the Karnataka Sangeetha Nrithya Academy, a Karnataka Government institution. He organized music oriented social events such as sugama sangeetha seminars, recognition to yester year musicians and music competitions.

He also organized a music workshop for the benefit of inmates of a Bangalore prison. He believed that music improves the qualities of a human being and thus it could reform even criminals.

He founded the "Sangeetha Ganga" a foundation and music school to train and encourage young and upcoming singers in Kannada. Many have attended Sangeetha Ganga.

He died, along with 5 of his family members, during a bath in a river at Sringeri. Many awards have been instituted after his name by public cultural organizations to unearth young talents and encourage them, thus commemorating his memory.

1. Links to news of tragedy:

• Tribune India - Bodies of singer, kin cremated
• The Music Magazine - Sugama sangeeta singer dead
• Daily Excelsior - Singer drowns with 5 family members
• G V Atri remembered

2. Links to G.V. Atri commemoration program notification:

• The Hindu - G.V. Atri Savinenapu
• A tribute to G.V. Atri
• Memory of G.V. Atri