My Compelling Story

Kalyani was born to Smt Radha and Shri TV Panchapakesan of Tanjore District, Tamil Nadu. Brought up in a home where all in her family were singers and great listeners, it was quite natural that music percolated the heart and spirits of young Kalyani. She had her basic music lessons from her mother. Her sisters, disciples of Smt TR Balamani, imparted advanced training to her in vocal music. Kalyani's passion to violin started in the days when she was an enthusiastic listener of Lalgudi Jayaraman.  Observing her keen interest, she was put under the tutelage of Sangeethabhushanam Shri TS Krishnaswamy of Sri Shanmukananda Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha, Mumbai. There, she started her musical journey as an accompanying artist at the age of 14 and has several hundreds of LIVE performances since.  She received advanced training in the nuances of raga and swara playing from the legendary Prof Shri VV Subrahmanyam. Kalyani has given several vocal concerts along with her elder sister, Lakshmi. The duo was popularly known as Matunga Sisters. As a violinist, she has accompanied top ranking artistes like Smt Mani Krishnaswamy, Shri Balamuralikrishna, Bombay Sisters, Chitraveena Ravi Kiran, Bombay Jayashri, Sudha Raghunathan, and Nityashree Mahadevan. Both a violinist and vocalist, Kalyani effortlessly brings the Gayaki style in her violin playing and is popular for her anusaranai technique.  Beginning as a violin instructor at her alma mater, Shanmukhananda Fine Arts, she has been teaching violin and vocal music for past 20 years. Kalyani is also a commerce graduate from RA Podar College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai.  A manager in the Operations Wing of the Standard Chartered Bank for about 20 years, Kalyani has given up her career in banking to devote her time completely to music. Achievements:   Shanmukha Sangeethamani by the Shanmukananda Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha, Mumbai, 1986 DK Pattammal Award for a young talented vocalist from the Music Academy, 1984 Best Violinist Award in the Gokulashtami series in the Talent promotion concerts held by Shri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai, 1985 Lalgudi Gopala Iyer Memorial Award for the best violinist from the Music Academy, 1987 NV Raghavan Memorial Award from Music Academy, 1993 V Lakshminarayanan Memorial Award from Music Academy, 1996