Flute J.A.Jayant

Kalaimamani Vidwan Shri T S Sankaran (Born 28 October 1930 – Died 9 April 2015), eminent Indian Carnatic Classical Music Flautist, T.S. Sankaran was the son of Flute Vidwan T.N. Sambasiva Iyer, from whom he imbibed music and flute playing at a very tender age. The family hailed from the village of Sathanur in the musically and culturally rich Kaveri delta. Family folklore dating back a couple generations speaks of associations with the illustrious 19th-century son of Sathanur, Musician Panchanada Iyer, a disciple of Muthuswami Dikshitar.
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T.N. Sambasiva Iyer was the Asthana Vidwan of the Mysore palace for several years. Sambasiva Iyer wanted his son to take up music full time, and while Vedaranyam Ramachandra Iyer trained him in vocals, he taught his son the flute-playing techniques.
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When Sankaran was nine, he started playing for concerts at temples around his village. He enjoyed listening to T N Rajarathnam Pillai’s Nagaswaram and would never miss any of his concerts.
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TNR inspired him to introduce a new viraladi technique in flute playing. However, his father insisted that Sankaran should also listen to other Nagaswaram stalwarts such as the Tiruveezhimizhalai brothers. A cherished moment was when the Kanchi Mahaswami asked him to play Sankarabharanam ragam during his Chandramouliswara Puja at the Mutt.
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When Tiruvavaduthurai Adheena Flute Vidwan Tiruppamburam Swaminathan Pillai was approached for advanced training, he suggested Mali’s name. After their first meeting in Chennai, Mali became attached to Sankaran. Every concert of Mali became a classroom. Later on, “Sankaran sir” became a loving disciple and closest confidante of the legendary Mali, who hailed him as an Ekalavya.

Joining All India Radio Trichy in 1948 was enriching. He met stalwarts like MK Tyagaraja Bhagavatar. Weekends were spent with Mali in Chennai. He later quit AIR and moved to Chennai to be with Mali. He became the permanent Flute player for Kalakshetra during the period of Rukmini Devi Arundale. He also accompanied Mrinalini Sarabhai on her Japan tour (1955) and performed with Sonal Mansingh abroad.

After teaching at Baroda University, he joined AIR, New Delhi, as a staff artist and performed at Tansen Music Festival and the Sankat Mochan Festival. He returned to Chennai in the mid-1980s and was a regular during the music season.

Even after Mali moved to Bangalore, Sankaran frequently visited him. Sabha secretaries often sought Sankaran’s help to convince Mali to perform.

He received honors like Kalaimamani and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. He performed with Hariprasad Chaurasia and the Chicago Symphony for radio abroad. He notated over 450 Kritis in English, compiled during tours, which as been published in the form of a book.

T.S. Sankaran passed away on 9 April 2015.