Parupalli S Phalgun

Parupalli Subbaraya (P.S.) Phalgun is an experienced mridangam maestro, known for rhythmic dexterity and a deep knowledge of Carnatic theory. Hailing from a family of varied musicians, including vocalist Parupalli Ramakrishnaiah Pantulu, he learned percussion from V. Balaji and Radhakrishna Raju, and later from the latter's son M.L. Raju.

A long career has seen him teach thousands of students, tour over 20 countries, and win national All India Radio awards. He has also worked in theatre settings, including for a production honouring the lives of the great vaggeyakaras (Carnatic lyricists). In 2015 he led the organisation of a tribute concert in memory of Mahadevu Lakshmi Narayana Raju, an esteemed mridangam guru, and is today a senior lecturer at the Government College of Music and Dance in Vijayawada.

He won the Sangeet Natak Akademi’s prestigious Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar award in recognition of his consistently high performance quality (Parupalli donated the entirety his prize money to a foundation created in memory of Raju, his late guru). He has worked with leading artists of the North, such as sitarist Ustad Shahid Parvez, as well as various Carnatic stars, notably including a long association with venu flute master Shashank Subramanyam.

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