Aswathi Thirunal Rama Varma

Born: 13 August 1968

• He is better known as Prince Rama Varma, is an Indian classical musician and a member of the erstwhile Royal Family of Travancore.
• He is a Carnatic vocalist as well as an exponent of the Veena.
• He is also recognized as a music teacher, musicologist, writer, and orator.
• He has given concerts and conducted music workshops all over India and in several other countries including the USA, UK, Netherlands, France, UAE, Malaysia, and Singapore.
• YouTube videos of his concerts, classes, and lecdems are popular among music lovers, music students and professional musicians alike, and have exceeded 50 lakh (5 million) views.
• He organizes the Swathi Sangeethotsavam, a 10-day annual festival held at the Kuthira Malika in Thiruvananthapuram from 4–13 January.
• The festival, dedicated exclusively to the compositions of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal, features maestros of Carnatic and Hindustani music and attracts music aficionados from all over the globe.
• He also organizes the annual Navarathri Mandapam concerts held in Trivandrum in connection with the Navarathri Festival .
• In 2006, he got veteran vocalist Parassala Ponnammal to perform there, and permitted women to attend the concerts, thus breaking a 300-year-old tradition of not allowing women inside the Mandapam.

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