Akkarai Sisters

Akkarai Sisters, S. Subhalakshmi and S. Sornalatha, are among India's most celebrated Carnatic violinists and vocalists. Born into a musically distinguished family in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, their grandfather S. P. Sivasubramaniam was a celebrated Carnatic vocalist and violinist. The sisters trained under their father Akkarai S. Swamynathan, a veteran violinist and founder of the Swara Raga Sudha school of music, from early childhood. Subhalakshmi made her debut as a performing violinist and vocalist at age eight, and maestro T. V. Gopalakrishnan invited her to perform a violin solo at his festival at age eleven. The sisters also trained under V. Janakiraman in Delhi, O. V. Subramanian, Padmabhushan P. S. Narayanaswamy, and Chitravina N. Ravikiran. They debuted at the Chennai Margazhi Season at Hamsadhwani and received the prestigious Kalaimamani award in 2019.