Palghat R Ramprasad, Carnatic musician

These days, Ramaprasad, a PhD in economics from University of Georgia, delves into such esoteric concepts such as Delaunay triangulation, which he explains is an ‘optimisation’ technique used in mathematics and statistics. He incorporates it while organising musical concerts and compiling song lists. This Harvard University alumnus left his mark in the world of Carnatic music long ago: in 2000, he achieved instant celebrity at the Madras Music Academy, thanks to his skills as a vocalist. Grandson of Mridangam maestro Palghat Mani Iyer and son of ace violinist TR Rajaram, he had begun performing as an eight-year-old. A top-ranking student all his life, Ramprasad also holds classes at the Mylapore-based Palghat Mani Iyer School of Music. He has a fan following for sticking to tradition and also for embracing new techniques to make music popular. And he hopes to meld mathematics and music in an aesthetic endeavour that makes the most of both.

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Carnatic musicHarvard UniversitysingingSouth India