About the Organisation

A few young men, who had come to Delhi to seek a career, used to meet annually to celebrate a religious festival.  In 1948, the participants formed a Society under the banner “Sree Shanmukhananda Sabha”.  Bhajans and musical programs were conducted under the banner of the new institution.  In 1950, the immediate precursor to the present Sabha “Sree Shanmukhananda Sabha” was inaugurated by Dr. K.S. Krishnan, the eminent Physicist.  The first Sabha management team comprised Sri Narayana Iyer (President), Sri K.Venkatrama Sastry (Vice President), Sri K.V.Ramachandran (Vice President), Sri K.Balakrishnan (Secretary), Sri S.Pattabhiraman (Joint Secretary) and Sri S.Parthasarathy (Treasurer).

Early Days………………..

The initial focus of the Sabha was to conduct music classes by employing well-qualified teachers both for vocal and instruments.  The school was well run and was even affiliated with the Music Academy, Madras.  The membership of the organization grew with members paying a nominal fee of Re. 1 per month.  Soon the members felt that the Sabha should organize music performances by talented artists.  The Sabha took advantage of senior artists visiting Delhi to render the national programs in the All India Radio.  Since the national programs were on Saturdays, the concerts were held by the Sabha on the following Sundays.  Thus, the Sabha could avail the services of very senior artists, who held sway in the Carnatic music world.  The concerts were usually held under temporary pandals.  Among the senior musicians, who gave concerts in the Sabha, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer, Musiri Subramania Iyer, Alathur Brothers, G.N.Balasubramanian, Madurai Somasundaram, M.S.Subbalakshmi, Madhurai Mani Iyer, D.K.Pattammal, Radha Jayalakshmi, Dr. M.Balamuralikrishna.

In the 73 years of Sabha’s existence (1950-2015), more than 3000 concerts, dance performances, Lec-Demonstrations, etc. were conducted which include artists of national level and Padma awardees have performed.

The silver jubilee of the sabha was held in 1976 when Bharat Ratna Smt. M.Subbalakshmi rendered the concert.  The golden jubilee of the Sabha was celebrated in 2000.

With the shifting of focus to holding music concerts and the inability of the Sabha to retain the music teachers in its staff, who were getting attractive alternative employment because of being drawn by the ever-expanding All India Radio and Doordarshan.  the music school was closed, marking the end of an era of music education.

The Sabha has been holding regular music concerts and also conducting annual musical festivals except for a brief period between 1987 and 1991.