Kaaraikkudi Mani

Kaaraikkudi Mani is a renowned mridangam artiste, composer and teacher with 55 years experience in the field of Carnatic music in India and internationally. He stepped into Carnatic Music at the tender age of 3. Although he commenced with vocal training, very soon he realized his special interest was in percussion and switched over to mridangam. His gurus were Kaaraikudi Rangu Iyengar, T R Hari hara Sharma and K M Vaidyanathan.

 Mani's inherent desire to propagate the highly sophisticated structure of South Indian rhythm and present innovative rhythmic ideologies led him to set up the Sruthi Laya Ensemble. He has also extended the rhythmic repertoire in the classical dance field along with renowned Bharathanatyam dancer Rajeshwari Sainath, who is Kaaraikkudi Mani’s niece and student.

 Mani has performed with many international artists like the Australian Art Orchestra, Eero Haemmeneimi, Paul Simon of the USA and John Kaizan Neptune.

 Mani’s school Sruthi Laya Kendra has centres in Chennai, Australia and the USA. More than 1000 students learn mridangam through this school directly or indirectly.

He has received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and is also chef editor of the music magazine Layamani Layam.