Uppalapu Srinivas

Born: 28 February 1969

Died: 19 September 2014

• He was an Indian mandolin player in Carnatic classical music and composer.
• He was widely regarded as the Mozart of classical Indian music.
• He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1998, by the Government of India.
• He was also awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2009 given by Sangeet Natak Akademi, which is the National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama, in India.
• He was the first musician to use the electric mandolin in Carnatic music.
• He modified the electric western instrument, using five single strings instead of the traditional four doubled strings to suit the Carnatic pitch, raga system, and especially gamakas, or nuanced oscillations.
• He started out on the acoustic mandolin, but neither the size nor plucking required of the acoustic mandolin was suited for long, sustained notes.
• He then switched to the electric mandolin, which was better suited for sustained notes and musical ornamentations.

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