Thiruvilvamala Ramaswamy

Palghat T. S. Mani Iyer was a legendary mridangam artist in the Carnatic music tradition, who is revered as one of the 'Holy Trinity of Mrudangam'. He is credited with revolutionizing the role of the mridangam in a concert, elevating it from a mere time-keeping instrument to a rhythmic running commentary. He was the first mridangist to receive the prestigious Sangeetha Kalanidhi, Padma Bhushan, and Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards.