M. G. Radhakrishnan

M. G. Radhakrishnan was born on 29 July 1940 at Haripad, in Alappuzha district, Kerala as the elder son of music composer and Harmonist Malabar Gopalan Nair and Harikatha exponent Kamalakshi Amma.[1] He was the eldest of their three children. He had his college education from the S. D. College, Alappuzha, and took Ganabhooshanam from Swati Tirunal Music Academy. Prominent singer K. J. Yesudas was one of his classmates there. His younger brother M. G. Sreekumar is a leading playback singer in Malayalam and Tamil cinema[2] and his younger sister K. Omanakutty is a famous carnatic vocalist and academician. He died on 2 July 2010 in a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram due to liver disease, less than a month short of his 70th birthday. He was later cremated with full state honours at Santhikavadam crematorium in Thaycaud, Thiruvananthapuram.

M. G. Radhakrishnan was a disciple of Sree Vidyadhiraja Hridayanjali,[3] an Indian ascetic, and composed music for the ascetic's lyrics,[3] which was sung by his younger sister Dr. K Omanakutty,[3] a Carnatic vocalist. In his official capacity, Radhakrishnan worked as a staff and become the senior music composer (Grade 1) in Akashvani, Trivandrum. In 1962, he joined All India Radio as music composer. He used to conduct a 15-minute light music class through AIR, which made him music lovers' favourite.

He made his debut in cinema as a playback singer through "Unniganapathiye..." from Kallichellamma (1969), which had music composed by K. Raghavan. His famous songs as a vocalist include "Sharike Sharike" from Sharashayya, "Pallanayattin Theerathu" from Ningalenne Communist Aakki etc. Some of his notable concert performances were at N S S Headquarters at Changanassery and at Karrikkakom Chamundeswary Temple at Thiruvananthapuram. He then focussed at composing light music with most of them becoming big hits. Singers Sujatha, G. Venugopal etc. were first introduced through his non-filmy songs.

His debut film as a music director was G. Aravindan's Thampu (1978). The songs were fairly noticed, however the first notable work by M.G. was Thakara (1980). Songs from this film, Mouname Mouname and Kudayolam Bhoomi won him several accolades and fame. The other major works by him include Adwaitham, Devasuram, Manichithrathazhu, Rakkuyilin Rajasadassil and Ananthabhadram, which was his last work.

He has also composed the poems of Kamala Surayya, a famous Indian writer, through the album Surayya Padunnu.[4]Radhakrishnan introduced K. S. Chithra, a singer and a student of Omanakutty, to the film and music industry by employing her in the film Attahaasam.[5][6]

Radhakrishnan died from liver cirrhosis on 2 July 2010 at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.[7] He was admitted there a week ago after his condition worsened, and was in ventilator since then. He was less than a month short of his 70th birthday when he died. He was cremated with full state honours at Thaikkad Santhikavadam electronic crematorium on the next day. He is survived by his son M. R. Rajakrishnan (who is famous on his own right as a sound recordist), daughter Karthika, granddaughters Nandana and Gowriparvathi, sister Dr. K. Omanakutty and brother M. G. Sreekumar. His wife Padmaja, who outlived him for nearly ten years, died on 15 June 2020 after suffering a heart attack.

• M.G. Radhakrishnan at IMDb
• Official website of M. G. Radhakrishnan foundation
• M.G Radhakrishnan passes away
• MG Radhakrishnan at MSI
• Remembering M. G. Radhakrishnan - K. S. Chithra (in Malayalam)
• Remembering M. G. Radhakrishnan - Sreekumaran Thampi (in Malayalam)
• Remembering M. G. Radhakrishnan - Fazil (in Malayalam)
• Remembering M. G. Radhakrishnan - Johnson (in Malayalam)