F. G. Natesa Iyer
F. G. Natesa Iyer | |
---|---|
British India | |
Died | 23 January 1963 , India | (aged 82)
Nationality | Indian |
Known for | Founder of 'Rasika Ranjana Sabha' |
F. G. Natesa Iyer (11 November 1880 – 23 January 1963) was an Indian activist in the
Early life and background
Natesa Iyer was born on 11 November 1880, to Janakiammaiyar Sastri (Pudukkotamma) and Gangadhara Shastri, who was the legal advisor to the then
In an article written by his grandson, it is claimed that as a child, " He took shelter with Englishmen who brought him up and converted him to Christianity. Twenty years later, dissatisfied with the ability of the priests to clarify his doubts, he met the Kanchi Shankaracharya, and, getting satisfactory answers from him, reconverted to Hinduism." .[3] The Shankaracharya referred to was Paramacharya Chandrashekarendra Saraswati.[4] It is recorded in a conversation he had in June 1923, that based on his twenty years of experience and knowledge on the Christian religion, "the Hindu religion was our mother and it was not appropriate to abandon your mother." Iyer also is reported to have stated that he was unfortunate to have committed such a sin, but realized his folly in time and he did not like to see anyone else commit the same mistake.[citation needed]
Public career
Iyer spent much of his formal career as a railway officer with the South Indian Railway Company (S. I. R). He retired as a District Traffic Superintendent in 1935, the first Indian to occupy this position.[citation needed] The company was incorporated in England, with the stocks and shares quoted on the London Stock Exchange. South Indian Railway had its administrative headquarters at Tiruchirappalli. Iyer built his house in Tiruchirappalli and spent much of his life in this city.[5]
Iyer was a member of the Indian Congress Party and represented the city as a delegate to the annual
Iyer was the district commissioner of the Boy Scouts Association in India in 1922. In this capacity he was presented to the then
Iyer has been credited as being "the first elected Indian chairman of Tiruchi Municipality."[7] He was elected councillor of Trichnopoly Municipal Council for a number of years.[8][9] A research paper on Tamil revivalism in the 1930s described Iyer as a leader of importance, who had been "an autocratic but effective chairman of the Trichnopoly municipality in the 1920s".[10]
His notability in those years between the two world wars could perhaps be assessed by his appearance in the "Who's who in Madras Presidency" in 1937.[11]
He continued to take some interest commenting on the Indian Congress politics in the city until the 1950s.[12]
Personal belief and faith
Iyer was very close to
Iyer also appears to have had a good rapport with Ramana Maharshi and his ashram.[15][16] Iyer also was an admirer of Sivananda Saraswati. His homage is printed in a publication brought out by the Divine Life Society.[17]
It can perhaps be inferred that Iyer belonged to the
Theatre
Iyer is credited with being the founder of an amateur theater group, Rasika Ranjana Sabha, in Tiruchirappalli in 1914. .[18] The Rasika Ranjana Sabha has been historically classified along with the Madras-based Suguna Vilasa Sabha, the Kumbakonam-based Vani Vilas Sabha and Thanjavur-based Sudarshan Sabha for encouraging native "histrionic talent" in the Madras Presidency during the times when the British Raj ruled.[19] There exist some records of the English plays staged by the Rasika Ranjana Sabha. In 1915 at the Trichinopoly Collector’s bungalow, Sheridan’s play 'Pizzaro' was acted in aid of the Ladies’ War Fund. The predominantly British audience were stated to have been amazed at the excellent diction of the all-Tamil cast. In 1918, two plays were staged as part of the peace celebrations organised by the Carnatic Infantry. In 1918, "At Home" was given to Mr. Blackstone, Deputy Superintendent of Police, and the same drama troupe presented a few plays.[1] Iyer specialised in Shakespearean roles such as Hamlet and Othello.[20] He was also famous for his production of and acting in Tamil social and mythological plays. In a recent foundation day celebration of the RR Sabha, he was hailed the "Father of modern Tamil dramas".[21] There is an account that he organised the first ever public concert of M. S. Subbulakshmi, when she was eleven years of age, in the 100 pillar hall inside the Rockfort Temple, Tiruchirappalli. with Mysore Chowdiah on the violin and Dakshinamurthy Pillai on the mridanga.[22] Actors such as the TKS Brothers, M. G. Ramachandran, M. R. Radha, and M. K. Radha in the starting days of their career looked up to Iyer as their ideal and sought his help in furthering their talents and prospects. It is reported that the TKS Brothers got their first big break in the world of theatre through Natesa Iyer casting them in the roles of Lava and Kusha, in a similarly named play produced and staged by Rasika Ranjana Sabha.[23][24]
Iyer had written a concept paper for an academy of dance, drama and music, presented at the All India Oriental Conference (Hyderabad session), in the pre-independence days.[6] This seems to be one of the precursory inputs to the Sangeet Natak Akademi, The National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama.
Talent spotting
Iyer is credited with spotting the talent of the actor M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar. One story is that he heard the young boy singing at a bhajan. Impressed with his talent, Iyer offered him the role of "Lohitadasa" in his play Harischandra, with the permission of Thyagaraja's father. Thyagaraja, who was ten at the time, agreed, and the play was a success. Through Rasika Ranjana Sabha, he also started getting trained under the guidance of theater veterans at that time in Trichy.[25] Some stories also credit him with spotting the talent of K. B. Sundarambal, who, as a child, earned her living through begging and singing in railway trains for alms and copper coins around Trichy.[26] There are also stories that Iyer organised the first ever public concert of
Acting career
Iyer acted in one Tamil movie
In one sequence, Iyer is struck with remorse and throws away in sheer disgust his
Death and legacy
Iyer died at the house of his daughter Tirupurasundari at Bhopal, in January 1963. His body was cremated at Ram Ghat in the Bhopal Lake with military honours.
Iyer's role as Eashwar Iyer, the aged husband to the young Sumathi, played by M. S. Subbulakshmi in the Tamil movie Sevasadanam, has been stated to be "a turning point in the history of Tamil cinema. In the climax, the aged husband, now a totally changed man, was shown as casting aside with utter contempt his 'sacred thread', which symbolises his Brahmin superiority. It came as a stunning blow to the then Brahmin orthodoxy"[29](in pre independent South India, which was socially dominated by the Brahmin community).
The precocious child talent he unearthed and shaped through Rasika Ranjana Sabha, such as M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar[31] and K. B. Sundarambal, turned out to be the first superstars of Tamil cinema. He is credited with providing the first break for public performances for well known artistes like M. S. Subbulakshmi and the TKS Brothers, when they were yet adolescents. His name has been associated with promoting concert talent in Carnatic music, of what would become some of the well-known names of the twentieth century: Marungapuri Gopalakrishna Iyer, Musiri Subramania Iyer,[32] Madurai Mani Iyer, Palghat Mani Iyer, and Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. Perhaps his biggest legacy would be the Rasika Ranjana Sabha, which he founded in Tiruchirappalli, and into which he poured much of his wealth. The Sabha celebrated its centenary of existence in a year long celebration across 2015-16
Padma Swaminathan
One of his daughters, Padma, did much to carry his legacy in the world of social service and the performing arts.[33] Married to a young freedom fighter T.S.Swaminathan, Padma carried the spirit of Natesa Iyer to the next generation.[34] As a political activist, Mrs. Padma Swaminathan came into her own in the Congress Seva Dal, where she was mentored by S. Ambujammal Desikachari: and managed a group of 200 volunteers in Srinivasa Gandhi Nilayam, Chennai in the 1940s. An archive photograph shows Mrs. Padma Swaminathan leading a procession of women volunteers on August 15, 1947, holding a giant national flag in Madras, with the Munroe Statue in the background. .[35] At the age of 40, she earned her Sangeeta Vidwan degree from the Central College of Carnatic Music in Chennai, learning from stalwarts like Musiri Subramania Iyer and T. Brinda. Mrs. Padma herself was an All India Radio artiste for 40 years, and has trained innumerable students in classical music. She was also an accomplished veena player, and was closely associated with Kalakshetra Foundation.[36] She encouraged her sons to marry promising young musicians. These daughter in laws, Dr.N. Rajam and Mrs. Vani Jairam are now considered legends in their respective fields.[37]
Rasika Ranjani Sabha
The Sabha got an award for the best Sabha in mofussil centre in 2011-12. This award was given by the leading social worker
The Sabha organises a special function on Iyer's birth anniversary to honor well-known personalities in the field of music, dance and culture.[39] In the foundation day ceremony of 2011 he was hailed as the "Father of modern Tamil dramas".[40] Veteran Tamil theater actors credit Rasika Ranjani Sabha for ensuring the survival of the Tamil theater art form in the 21st century, amidst competition from television and cinema.[41]
RR Sabha has been conducting music competitions since 1984 to encourage students learning both vocal and instrumental music. The Sabha has been conferring the coveted title "SANGEETHA SRI" to the outstanding competitor in senior age group from 1991 onwards.[42] Some of the present frontline performers of Carnatic music would have been given this award in the starting days of their career. Mr. A. Natarajan, former Chennai station Director of Doordarshan observed in a function at the Sabha in 2008, that "RR Sabha had been supporting aspiring singers in tier II cities and providing a chance to the music-lovers of the city to attend the concerts of ace musicians."[43]
At the inauguration of the centenary celebrations of the Rasika Ranjani Sabha, on 16 May 2015, a special function was organised to release a special postmark and special envelope by the
The valedictory function of the centenary celebration, on Saturday 2 April 2016, saw more praise for the Rasika Ranjani Sabha. The role being played by Rasika Ranjani Sabha in promoting art and culture was highlighted by speakers. They said the sabha has set a new trend in conservation and promotion of art and culture among the different age groups. Chitra Visweswaran, member secretary, Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram, delivered the valedictory address. She summed up the achievements of the Rasika Ranjani Sabha thus: "Apart from honouring artistes, the sabha has been instrumental in recognising the services of institutions by presenting awards or citation to All India Radio and Tiruchi District Drama Artistes Association. The sabha had not confined itself to any particular art but has been encouraging artistes belonging to different planes such as Hari Katha discourse exponents, kaniyan koothu, Nama sangeerthanam and various dying arts. The sustained effort by the Sabha for over a century in organising concerts and encouraging artistes was its specific achievement". M. S. Mohamed Masthan, noted drama artiste, observed in this valedictory function, "The sabha has been a catalyst for the drama artistes in nurturing their talents and the annual week-long drama festival has been a gift to the artistes".
Next to Chennai, Tiruchi has (become) a prominent seat of promoting art and culture among the Tier II cities in the state. [46]
References
- ^ a b SUGANTHY KRISHNAMACHARI (30 January 2014). "A century of service". The Hindu. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
Tiruchi's R. R. Sabha, which turns 100 this year, has been fostering the cause of charity and culture. In 1915 at the Trichinopoly Collector's bungalow, Sheridan's play 'Pizzaro' was enacted in aid of the Ladies' War Fund. The predominantly British audience was amazed at the excellent diction of the all Tamil cast. In 1918, two plays were staged as part of the peace celebrations organised by the Carnatic Infantry. In 1918, "At Home" was given to Mr. Blackstone, Deputy Superintendent of Police and the same drama troupe presented a few plays. The troupe staged benefit shows to raise funds for the Manicka Vinayakar temple. The theatre enthusiasts, munificent in their contributions to charitable causes, were all members of the Rasika Ranjana Sabha (RRS), Tiruchi. RRS was inaugurated at a meeting held in the Tiruchi Fort Railway Museum, on November 9, 1914, with Kodiyalam Rangaswamy Iyengar as the first president. The membership fee was eight annas per month. To start with, the sabha had 25 members. Within a year, the number increased to 153. Zamindar of Andipatti, Mc.T. Pethachi Chettiar, Dewan Bahadur T. Desikachariar, Advocate, and G.K. Rengil Doss were among the generous donors to the sabha in the early years. The founder members were men of varied talents. S.S. Subramania Iyer, for instance, wrote two songs for the sabha, 'Gandhi vakyam' to be sung before the commencement of any programme, and mangalam to mark the conclusion. The first secretary of the sabha, F.G. Natesa Iyer, popularly known as FGN, belonged to the lineage of Appayya Dikshitar, and his grandfather and father were accomplished veena players.
- ^ F.G. Natesa Iyer [330] - $.5.00 : Sruti, A Monthly Magazine on Indian Performing Arts Archived 3 February 2013 at archive.today
- ^ T.S. Mani (1–15 April 2012). "FGN – actor and patron of the arts". Madras Musings. Vol. XXI, no. 24.
- ^ Sastri, S. Sambamurthy (1991). Paramacharya: Life of Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam : Originally Written in Tamil Under the Title Sri Jagadguru Divya Charitram (1991 ed.). Kanchipuram: Jana Kalyan. p. 31.
- ^ Nahla Nainar (23 November 2014). "Once upon a life". The Hindu.
It was the now-demolished Manohara Vilas (in Woraiyur), that gave the clan their first proper home in Tiruchi. "It was a palatial house – and there'd be groups of people hanging around waiting to meet my father – poor students looking for admissions, graduates looking for work, and musicians working on the Sabha's productions," she says.
- ^ a b F.G.Natesa Iyer. "The Dramatic Art" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 March 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
- ^ S. P. SARAVANAN (2 November 2015). "Salem, more like a vast urban village". The Hindu. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
F.G. Natesa Iyer, who was a senior official of the South Indian Railway Company, was the first elected Indian chairman of Tiruchi Municipality.
- ^ Menon, Kumara Padmanabha Sivasankara (1965). Many worlds: an autobiography. Oxford University Press.
- ^ Eugene F, Irschick (1986). Tamil revivalism in the 1930s. Cre-A.
- ISBN 9780836419184.
- ^ The Who's who in Madras: ... A Pictorial Who's who of Distinguished Personages, Princes, Zemindars and Noblemen in the Madras Presidency. Vol. Issue 9 (1937 ed.). Pearl Press.
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has extra text (help) - ^ The Hindu : dated 25 September 1951: George VI undergoes surgery
- ^ T.K. Balasubramaia Iyer (10 May 1923). "Editorial". The Hindu.
Never before in the annals of Tiruchirapalli have we witnessed te grandeur and enthusiasm that were displayed at the reception of His Holiness Sri Jagadguru Sri Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam who arrived at Tiruchirapali on the 23rd ult. The mile long procession headed by richly caparisoned elephants ad surging crowds with His Holiness seated high on the ivory palanquin in the center, surrounded by large concourse of Brahmins chanting the Vedas, and followed by numerous Bhajana parties and Tevaram parties, the rich and tasteful decorations all along the route which eteded to nearly eight miles, the buoyant enthusiasm of the huge crowd that pressed on all sides just to have a glimpse of His Holiness, beaming countenance and that followed the procession right through to the end, the festive appearance of the whole town and the eageress of everyone in that vast concourse of people to do some sort of service to His Holiness were sights for Gods to see and they beggar all description. It showed in a clear and unmistakable way the stronghold of religion and religious ideals still on the people of the country. No Viceroy or even the Emperor himself could have evoked such spontaneous and heartfelt enthusiasm. It took nearly five hours for the procession to reach its destination. His Holiness had a smile or a word of cheer for every one of the assembled people and when he retired into the mutt, His Holiness observed that the weariness of the journey was counteracted by the unprecedented enthusiasm of the people.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 February 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Sri Ramanasramam Charities (1979). "Mountain Path". Mountain Path. 16. Sri Ramanasramam: 177. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
- ^ Sri Ramanasramam Charities (1983). "Mountain Path". Mountain Path. 20. Sri Ramanasramam: 286. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- ^ SIVANANDA: HIS MISSION AND MESSAGE. The divine life society. 1952. p. 419. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
- ^ "Tributes to R. R. Sabha founder". The Hindu. India. 12 November 2010. Archived from the original on 17 November 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
- ^ "Sangeet Nataka". Sangeet Natak. 38. Sangeet Natak Akademi. 2004. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
- ^ F.G. Natesa Iyer - Soliloquies from Shakespeare's Plays mp3 download forum music-db.org Archived 15 April 2013 at archive.today
- ^ Special correspondent (19 November 2011). "Tribute paid to Natesa Iyer". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
M. George, Executive Committee member of the Sabha, recalled late Iyer's contribution to the art of drama and how he himself acted in many of them. He added that Mr. Iyer could be rightly called the 'Father of Dramas'.
- ^ Sruti magazine cover story on Iyer, page 20, issue number 330, March 2012
- ^ a b Sruti magazine cover story on Iyer, page 25, issue number 330, March 2012
- ^ http://columbuscarnatic.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/fgn.pdf[permanent dead link] [bare URL PDF]
- ^ S. Sankaranarayanan (1–15 March 2010). "A legend in his lifetime". Madras Musings. 19 (22). S. Muthiah.
- ^ "Biography on Sangeetam.com". Archived from the original on 17 February 2005. Retrieved 9 June 2006.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Mani, T.S. (2012). "FGN – actor and patron of the arts". Madras Musings. XX1 (24). Retrieved 6 October 2012.
- ^ "Musiri's indifference to Tukaram and love for D H Lawrence". Deccan Chronicle. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
He took his bow when he was 17 in Tiruchy and the talent-scout, F. G. Natesa Iyer presented him with a gold medal and predicted him a bright future.
- ^ a b Vishwanathan S. "A progressive film maker; Tribute to K. Subramanian", Volume 21 - Issue 14, 3-16 July 2004 of Frontline magazine, (brought out by Hindu publications), Chennai, Tamilnadu. Archived 17 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Guy Randor "Blast from the past, Seva Sadanam 1938", in Cinema Plus of the Hindu, Friday issue 1 February 2008.(brought out by Hindu publications), Chennai, Tamilnadu.
- ^ "Blazing new trails". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 2 May 2004. Archived from the original on 14 June 2004.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ NAHLA NAINAR (23 November 2014). "Once upon a life". The Hindu.
As the last surviving daughter of F.G. Natesa Iyer, Padma Swaminathan's anecdotes span the rich fabric of theatre, classical music and her own foray into social activism
- ^ NAHLA NAINAR (23 November 2014). "Once upon a life". The Hindu.
Matrimony beckoned at 18, but not before Padma personally chose her partner, T.S. Swaminathan, an ardent Gandhian and freedom fighter.
- ^ NAHLA NAINAR (23 November 2014). "Once upon a life". The Hindu.
As a political activist, Mrs. Padma Swaminathan came into her own in the Congress Seva Dal, where she was mentored by S. Ambujammal, and managed a group of 200 volunteers in Srinivasa Gandhi Nilayam, Chennai in the 1940s.An archive photograph shows Mrs. Padma leading a procession of women volunteers on August 15, 1947, holding a giant national flag in Madras, with the Munroe Statue in the background.
- ^ NAHLA NAINAR (23 November 2014). "Once upon a life". The Hindu.
At the age of 40, she earned her Sangeeta Vidwan degree from the Central College of Carnatic Music in Chennai, learning from stalwarts like Musiri Subramaniya Iyer and Brinda.Mrs. Padma herself was an All India Radio artiste for 40 years, and has trained innumerable students in classical music. She was also an accomplished veena player, and was closely associated with Kalakshetra.
- ^ "Coimbatore: Fans, family celebrate Padma Swaminathan's hundred and first birthday". Deccan Chronicle. 9 December 2017.
featured her famous musician daughter-in-law Dr N Rajam, her daughter Sangeetha Shankar, and her grandchildren Ragini Shankar and Nandini Shankar giving a brilliant violin concert accompanied by Kedar Kharaton on table. That was followed by another world famous musician Vani Jairam, another daughter-in-law, rendering two compositions.
- ^ SYED MUTHAHAR SAQAF (19 July 2012). "Tiruchi, theatre for promoting stage plays". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
Mylapore Academy, Chennai, headed by leading social worker Sarojini Varadappan, presented a special award – award for the best Sabha in mofussil centre - to Rasika Ranjani Sabha, Tiruchi, in recognition of its outstanding service for the Tamil theatre. The award in recognition of staging the maximum number of dramas in the entire state (about 40 dramas, including 14 dramas staged by the Sangam) during 2011-12.
- ^ "Tributes to R. R . Sabha founder". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 12 November 2010.
- ^ Special correspondent (19 November 2011). "Tribute paid to Natesa Iyer". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
M. George, Executive Committee member of the Sabha, recalled late Iyer's contribution to the art of drama and how he himself acted in many of them. He added that Mr. Iyer could be rightly called the 'Father of Dramas'.
- ^ Nahla Nainar (16 August 2013). "All the world is a stage". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
"The biggest change I've seen in my career as a stage artiste is that there is no demand any more for new plays," says M S Mohamed Masthan, General Secretary of Tiruchi Mavatta Nataka Nadigargal Sangam...The sense of gloom is hard to dispense with. "The government should take care of the theatre tradition," says Masthan. "We are surviving here in Tiruchi because of venues like Rasika Ranjani Sabha. Without a proper hall, at least something that is affordable to performers like us, it's quite difficult to stage a play. The recent 21-day drama festival (organised in July by South Zone Cultural Centre and District Drama Artistes Association) was possible only because we had the backing of R.R. Sabha," he adds.
- ^ The Hindu : Metro Plus Tiruchirapalli / Events : Music contest
- ^ "Music sabhas nurture talents". The Hindu. India. 18 August 2008. Archived from the original on 16 September 2008. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
- ^ "Music aficionados remember R.R. Sabha's F.G. Natesa Iyer". The Hindu. 17 May 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
Centenary celebrations of the Rasika Ranjana Sabha, a premier music sabha in the city, commenced on Saturday. The sabha was established in 1914 by late F.G. Natesa Iyer, a renowned dramatist. Speakers at a function organised to mark the release of the special postmark and special envelope on the centenary celebrations of Rasika Ranjani Sabha here on Saturday, paid rich tributes to Natesa Iyer for his outstanding contribution to the promotion of drama, art, and culture. They recalled the efforts made by the late Natesa Iyer in providing opportunities to the young drama artists and musicians, realising the impact of fine arts on the mind and soul of the masses. G. Natarajan, Director of Postal Services, Central Region, Tamil Nadu, released the special postmark on special envelope. It carries an image of the sabha on the left with a postal stamp on D.K. Pattammal for Rs. 5 denomination on the right. He said that the Natesa Iyer had groomed great artists, including S.G. Kittappa, M.K. Thiyagaraja Bhagavathar, and T.R. Mahalingam. Receiving the envelope, R.A. Krishnakumar, Executive Director, Dalmia Cement (Bharat), said the late Natesa Iyer had taken a long term vision by founding the sabha. The sabha had groomed a number of artists in their early career to such an extent that they turned to be popular artists later. The sabha formed part of the history of Tiruchi, he said.
- ^ "Music aficionados remember R.R. Sabha's F.G. Natesa Iyer". The Hindu. 17 May 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
Padma Swaminathan, daughter of the late Natesa Iyer, P.K. Thiagarajan, former chairman of Board of Trustees of Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, and A. Jayapal were present.
- ^ "RR Sabha hailed for promoting art". The Hindu. 6 April 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
The role being played by Rasika Ranjani Sabha in promoting art and culture was highlighted by speakers at a function to mark the valediction its centenary celebrations here on Saturday. They said the sabha has set a new trend in conservation and promotion of art and culture among the different age-groups.Chitra Visweswaran, member secretary, Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram, said apart from honouring artistes, the sabha has been instrumental in recognising the services of institutions by presenting awards or citation to All India Radio and Tiruchi District Drama Artistes Association.The sabha had not confined itself to any particular art but has been encouraging artistes belonging to different planes such as Hari Katha discourse exponents, kaniyan koothu, Nama sangeerthanam and various dying arts. The sustained effort by the Sabha for over a century in organising concerts and encouraging artistes was its specific achievement, she said.Next to Chennai, Tiruchi has been a prominent seat for promoting art and culture among the Tier II cities in the state. M. S. Mohamed Masthan, noted drama artiste, said that the sabha has been a catalyst for the drama artistes in nurturing their talents and the annual week-long drama festival has been a gift to the artistes.