1916

Sep 16, 1916 Subbulaksmi is born. She has two siblings: Her
brother Saktivel is 2 ½ years older and siter Vadivambal is 6-7
year younger.

The house in Madurai

where MS and her
siblings were born.
1926 - Age 10
Debut at Madurai Sethupati High School. Sang a Marathi song
Anada Ja when her mother requested her to sing.

"The first stage appearance? "When it happened, I felt only

annoyance at being yanked from my favourite game - making
mud pies. Someone picked me up, dusted my hands and skirt,
carried me to the nearby Sethupati School where my mother Mother
was playing before 50 to 100 people. In those days that was the Shanmugavadivu
usual concert attendance. At mother's bidding I sang a couple
of songs. I was too young for the smiles and the claps to mean
much. I was thinking more of returning to the mud." "

Read article
1926
First Recording - Maragatha Vadivum ( Raga : Chenchurutti)
with Shanmugavadivu playing veena and MS singing. Released
by the Twin recording company. Vinyl Disc has Oothikuzhiyile
on other side.

Young Subbulakshmi
with thick curls and a
puff sleeve blouse
1920s
""You can see it in the old pictures," she laughs. "A side parting
in thick curls pressed down with lots of oil, a huge dot covering
most of my forehead, the half saree pinned to the puff-sleeved
blouse with long brooch and longer safety pin, eardrops, nose-
rings and bangles of imitation gold... Oh, I forgot. The long
plait was tied up with a banana stem strip! Or a ribbon which
never matched."

Read article
1933 - Age 17
First Concert at Music Academy, Chennai. MS fills in for an
ailing Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar.

"Of her debut at the Madras Music Academy when she was 17,
a connoisseur wrote: "When she, with her mother by her side
(who played the tambura for the daughter), as a winsome girl in
her teens, ascended the dais in 1934 and burst into classical M.S.Subbulakshmi in
songs, experienced musicians of the top rank vied with one Chennai
another in expressing their delight in this new find." Chembai
Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar came forward with loud hyperboles.
Tiger Varadachariar nodded approval. Karaikudi Sambasiva
Iyer was to say later: "Child, you carry the veena in your
throat."

Read article

Sadasivam meets Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer for the

first time

"Semmangudi's acquaintance with M.S.' husband, T.

Sadasivam, began with their serving as judges in the `khadi'
section of the swadeshi exhibition during the Mahamakham
festival at Kumbakonam in 1933. Semmangudi claimed not
only M.S. but also Sadasivam as his disciple, having taught
him to play cards. At times he even joined M.S.' concert tours -
as Sadasivam's rummy crony. "
1935 - Age 19
Concert at Sri Dakshinamurthy's household wedding

"Kunjamma (as she is known to those close to her), brought up

with all the rigorous strictness that her mother could impose
upon her training in art as in life, had sung at a wedding in the
household of Dakshinamurti Pillai, the venerable percussionist
from Pudukkottai. The event had drawn a galaxy of artists - A Young Subbulakshmi
including the upcoming Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Musiri in an informal
Subramania Iyer, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, Photograph
Rajamanickam Pillai, Rajaratnam Pillai, Palghat Mani Iyer,
G.N. Balasubramanian and the Alathur brothers.

The next day, in the midst of this starry assembly,

Dakshinamurti Pillai suddenly smote his head with vehemence.
"Andavane!" (oh God!) How will you save your throats for a
lifetime if you engage in vocal gymnastics? Leave all that to us
drummers. Singers must emphasise the raga and the bhava so
that you preserve your voice and let it gain in timbre. That little
girl there, she knows this already. Didn't we hear her yesterday?
Wasn't it satisfying? Touch our hearts?"" At that public praise,
Kunjamma shrank even more behind her mother in the corner. "

Read article
1935 ( approx)
Meets Sadasivam for the first time when he comes for a photo
shoot related to the Ananda Vikatan Deepavali Malar

An Early Picture of
MS and Sadasivam
1938 - Age 22
Seva Sadan released

Seva Sadhanam (1938)

“Subrahmanyam introduced a number of artists to a career in

films, foremost among them being the Carnatic music stalwart
M.S. Subbulakshmi. M.S. in Seva Sadanam
Seva Sadhanam championed the cause of women's equality.
Based on a novel by Premchand, the film was a bitter attack on
the dowry system, which often compels poor young girls to
marry older men. The film forcefully discussed the havoc
caused by the incompatibility between such couples and
sympathised with the victims. Subrahmanyam introduced M.S.
Subbulakshmi as an actress in the film, which was a big
success.”

Read article on Papanasam Sivan

who composed multiple songs for the film
1940 - Age 24
1940 - Isai Vani

MS with little Radha,

niece Thangam and
nephew Ramachandran

July 10, 1940

Marriage to T Sadasivam at Thiruneermalai

Sakuntalai

See Article about Ellis R. Dungan

Sakunthalai
Kalki R. Krishnamurthy's writings - Sakuntalai

1941 - Age 25
Savithri

"Profile of Ellis R. Dungan by Randor Guy : “In 1941, Rao

went to Calcutta a make a Tamil musical of historic interest.

A mythological, Savitri, attracted considerable attention. The

title role was played by the Marathi and Hindi star, Shantha MS as Narada in the
Apte. Making her act in a Tamil film was a daring move made Film Savithri
by Rao, which generated public interest in the film even during
its making. Unlike the artistes of today, she insisted on
speaking and singing in Tamil. Rao sent a Tamil tutor to Pune
to get her to learn the language. The project was put on the
backburner for nearly a year until Shantha Apte was ready to
speak and sing on her own. Such was her devotion to her
profession.

Another innovative feature, which raised public interest, was

Rao's move to cast M. S. Subbulakshmi in the male role of
Narada. M.S. was always popular and her role as the male sage
became the talk of the town. Savitri had many songs, mostly
sung by M.S. and some by Shantha Apte. Music was by
Papanasam Sivan and Kamaldas Gupta. "

Founding of Kalki magazine as a result of funds from Savithri

Meets Chinani Mami (Narayani Mahadevan) who becomes a

lifelong friend.

See Article about Narayani Mahadevan

Move to Kalki Gardens at 20 Guruswamy Mudaliar Road,

formerly called Sladen Gardens."Enraptured by tales of the
Mahatma's walks outdoors and councils indoors, T.Sadasivam
had bought Sladen Gardens from Mammen Mappillai, through
the agency of `Aryabhavan' Sharma, to house the Kalki
magazine. The first floor became his home.

See article about Kalki Gardens

1944
Benefit Concerts for Kasturba Memorial Fund

Letter from Gandhiji thanking MS

MS and Sadasivam
seen at a prayer
meeting with Mahatma
Gandhi
1945 - Age 29
Meera released in Tamil on Deepavali day

Making of the movie Meera

The making of "Meera" was studded with interesting incidents.

'Kalki' Krishnamurthy, who wrote the script and a few of the
immortal songs, accompanied the crew and recorded the MS in the film Meera
episodes. Excerpts, translated by GOWRI RAMNARAYAN.

See Gowri Ramnarayan Article

1947 - Age 31
Apr 4, 1947

Delhi Premiere of Hindi Meera

See Kalki R. Krishnamurthy article MS With Lady Edwina

Mountbatten and Pandit
Nehru at the Delhi
premiere of Meera in
1947

Apr 4, 1947
Radha Anandhi Dance Performance at Indian Gymkhana
grounds in Mumbai

Browse the programme brochure printed for this

performance
MS in one of the last
scenes in the film

See Article by Anandhi Ramachandran about their

arangetram
• « Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8

• Next »
1954 - Age 38
1954 - MSS awarded Padma Bushan at Raj Bhavan, Chennai

MS at the Rajbhavan in
Chennai with the
Padma Bhushan Medal
1955 - Age 39
Concert to raise funds for Kamala Nehru Memorial Hospital

Benefit Concert for Madras Music Academy Building Fund

Read article in The Hindu

MS meets Helen Keller

in Chennai Also seen
are
Chief Minister K.
Kamaraj and T.
Sadavisam
1956 - Age 40
MS receives Sangeet Natak Academy Award

MS receives Sangeeth
Natak Academy Award