M. G. Radhakrishnan

Malabar Gopalan Nair Radhakrishnan (29 July 1940 – 2 July 2010) was an Indian music director and Carnatic vocalist from Kerala.

M. G. Radhakrishnan was born on 29 July 1940 at Haripad, in Alappuzha district, Kerala as the eldest of three children of music composer and harmonist Malabar Gopalan Nair and Harikatha exponent Kamalakshi marasyar. He studied at the S. D. College, Alappuzha, and undertook Ganabhooshanam from Swathi Thirunal College of Music. K. J. Yesudas was one of his classmates there. His younger brother M. G. Sreekumar is a playback singer in Malayalam and Tamil cinema and his younger sister K. Omanakutty is a Carnatic vocalist and academic.^{[citation needed]}

Radhakrishnan was married to Padmaja, who was herself famous as a poet, lyricist and classical dancer. They had two children - M. R. Rajakrishnan and Karthika. Their son Rajakrishnan is a well-known sound recordist, who has worked in many films. Radhakrishnan died on 2 July 2010 at KIMS hospital in Thiruvananthapuram due to liver disease, less than a month short of his 70th birthday.^{[citation needed]}

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

He also composed the poems of Kamala Surayya, an Indian writer, through the album Surayya Padunnu. 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.

Radhakrishnan died from liver cirrhosis on 2 July 2010 at Cosmopolitan Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. He was admitted there a week earlier after his condition worsened, and had been on a 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 the following day. He is survived by his son Rajakrishnan, daughter Karthika, granddaughters Nandana and Gouriparvathy, sister Omanakutty and brother Sreekumar. His wife Padmaja, who outlived him by nearly ten years, died on 15 June 2020 following a heart attack.^{[citation needed]}

• 2005 – Best Music Director – Ananthabadram^{[citation needed]}
• 2001 – Best Music Director – Achaneyaanenikkishtam^{[citation needed]}

• 2005 – Best Music Director Award – Anandabhadram^{[citation needed]}
• 2001 – Best Music Director Award – Kaate Vannu Vilichappol^{[citation needed]}

• 2004 – Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship
• 1995 – Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award