Jayanthi Kumaresh

Jayanthi Kumaresh (born 1969, Bengaluru) is an Indian classical musician and one of the foremost exponents of the Saraswati veena in Carnatic music. She began formal study at age three with her mother, Lalgudi Rajalakshmi. At thirteen, she entered the Gurukul of her aunt, Vidushi Padmavathy Ananthagopalan, remaining there for twenty-two years, and later studied with S. Balachander. She received further guidance from her maternal uncle, violinist Lalgudi Jayaraman, and from T. Brinda, T. R. Subramaniam, and Thanjavur Shankara Iyer. She holds a doctorate from the University of Mysore for her research on veena playing techniques. Jayanthi is the youngest veena player to receive All India Radio's A-Top grading. She has performed at Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House, Lincoln Center, and BBC Proms. She founded the Indian National Orchestra, a 21-member ensemble blending Carnatic and Hindustani traditions, and created Cup O' Carnatic, a popular web series introducing ragas. She is married to Kumaresh Rajagopalan of the violinist duo Ganesh-Kumaresh.