Brahmasri Kollegal R Subramanyam was the 5th in the legacy of the Bard of Thiruvayyar, Sadguru Thyagaraja Swamy mentored by Sri Belakavadi Varadaraja Iyengar who in turn was the sishya of great music scholar Brahmasri Dr L Muthiah Bhagavathar of Harikesanallur. Kollegal Subramanyam was a Naadopaasaka Sreshtha, Sri Vidyopaasaka Sreshtha and a very highly respected Jyothishya Acharya and philosopher. He was ordained “Unchavruthi Deeksha” by Bramasri Pudukottai Gopalakrishna Bhagavathar in March 1970 and Srividya Deeksha by Brahmasri A. Rajamani in 1979.
Born in Kollegal, the then district of Tamil Nadu but now a part of Karnataka, in 1929, Kollegal Subramanyam started his early education in vocal under the able tutelage of Sri Balakrishna Iyer at Kollegal in the year 1944. From 1947-1953, he underwent the gurukula sikshana at Bangalore under the guidance of Sri Belakavadi Varadaraja Iyengar. After the intensive sikshana, he was blessed by his guru with the title “Sangeetha Vidwan”.
After completing his intensive education in Carnatic vocal Kollegal Subramanyam settled in Hyderabad in 1953 to teach Carnatic vocal music. He has given hundreds of concerts all over India and has received appreciation from several eminent personalities.
He was chiefly instrumental in constructing a temple and installing the Saint Thyagaraja’s Vigraham in the premises of Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamy Temple in Vidyanagar, Hyderabad which is hailed as “Chinna Thiruvaiyyar” in the year 1986.
A mystic with a contrasting flowing white beard, Brahmasri Kollegal Subrahmanyam is not only gentle and an unassuming personality but is also one of the greatest Carnatic vaggeyakaras.
It is a rare experience listening to him singing with uncompromising devotion to the ideals of the great trinity. His music gives spiritual and moral enlightenment.
His teachings and works show his profound inclination towards Guru Bhakti and spirituality. In addition to inventing new ragas, his works include over 700 kritis written in six languages, amongst which are compositions of 72 Melakarta ragas on a sole subject – Devi, composed in a span of just 16 days, Devi Krithi Manimala, Naadopaasanaya Srividya containing Sri Shodashi Nitya Devi, Sri Lalitha Navavaranam and Shaddarshana-Shadaadhaara Devi Kritis, Sri Dasa Mahavidhya, Navagraha kritis, Venkateshwara Manimala, Sringeri Sarada Krithis, Purandaradasa Nakshathra Krithi Manimala, Basara Pancharatnam, Sri Ranga Panchakam, Gayatri Pancharatnam, Raghavendra Panchakam, Upaghana Raga Pancharatnam, Anjaneya Swamy Kritis, Sri Sankara Vijayam, Sri Bhuvaneswari Aavaranam, Nava Durga kitis to name a few. Besides this, he has compiled 200 different krithis of Sri Thyagaraja in 200 different ragas in a book form with notation, a separate compilation of Sri Thyagaraja’s Siva Kritis and many such immortal achievements.
In 1983, his students and well-wishers brought out a collection of his compositions in the form of a booklet “Stuti mala” which was released by Late Dr. Divakarla Venkatavadhini, a well-known scholar and poet of Andhra Pradesh. A reputed music institution Nada Brahma Vidyalayam at New Delhi conferred on him the title “Nada Brahma Kala Rathnam”. In February 1989, Sri Raghavendra Brindavana Seva Samithi, Kakinada conferred on him the title “Sangeethaathma Vedhi” and released his book “Sri Purandaradasa Nakshatra Krithi manimala”. In March 1992, a reputed cultural organization, Swara Sudha of Hyderabad conferred on him the title “Tatva Swara Sekhara”.
On the auspicious day of Ugadi in 1996, the title of “Sangeetha Sudha Saagara” was conferred on him jointly by Dittakavi Venkateswara Rao, Swara Sudha and Sri Thyagaraja Gana Sabha. In 1997 the title of “Kala Vipanchee” was conferred on him by the Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna (MBK) Trust at the Music Academy Hall, Chennai. In 1999 the prestigious title of “Sangeetha Mahamahopadhyaya” was conferred on him by the Akhila Bharatiya Gandharva Maha Vidyalaya Mandal, Mumbai during their “Traivarshik Sangeet Sammelan” at Nasik. In 2003, he was conferred the title of “Sangeetha Vignana Ratna” by Vignana Samithi, Anandnagar, Khairatabad, Hyderabad.
In 2004, the Kalladaikurichi Sri K.N. Harihara Sastri Memorial Sri Vidyopasana & Naadopsana Research Centre, Chembur, Mumbai, conferred on him the title of “Sri Vidyopaasaka Sreshtha”. In 2007, the Rithambara Trust, Chennai conferred on him the title of “Sri Vidya Naadopaasaka Sreshtha”. In 2008 the Hyderabad Music Circle, Secunderabad conferred on him the title of “Sangeetha Kalaamani”. In 2008 Sri Sri Sri Sachhidananda Bharathi Swamiji of Sringeri Siva Ganga Peetham conferred on him the title “Bahubhashaalankruta Vaaggeya Soundarya Sharada Tilaka” at Siva Ganga Upasakha Mutt in Hyderabad. In 2008 Smt Malladi Pamavathi Garu conferred on him the title “Sangeetha Rasa Samrat”. In 2008 again he was conferred the title “Vijaya Vittala Prasasthi” by Mantralaya Sri Sri Raghavendra Mutt, Hampi. He was also felicitated in many sabhas for his contributions to Music and his achievements.
Untiring efforts and devotion to the cause of music have been his forte. This endeavour is but a small tribute to the silent path of a vocal genius.