Apr 18 2026 to Apr 18 2026 5:30 p.m.

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

The presentation and the centenary lecture will be delivered in Kannada.

“Music is my breath, literature my body, and science my food.”

The G. T. Narayana Rao Centenary Celebration marks one hundred years since the birth of a thinker for whom knowledge, art, and inquiry were inseparable. The evening opens with an introduction to his life and work, setting the context for a legacy that continues to influence both intellectual and cultural life in Karnataka.

This is followed by a presentation on the Sanchi Foundation’s initiatives in digital preservation and open knowledge. The Creative Commons release of the GTN Kannada Font, an effort that extends his commitment to making knowledge accessible, shared, and alive within the language. 

The centenary lecture by science communicator Nagesh Hegde reflects on GTN’s lifelong pursuit of scientific temper. Drawing from his work in communicating complex ideas with clarity, the lecture revisits the enduring relevance of rational inquiry in a rapidly changing world.

The evening concludes with a Carnatic vocal concert by T. M. Krishna, accompanied by Akkarai Sornalatha on violin, Charu Hariharan on mridangam, and Anirudh Athreya on kanjira. The performance brings together music and thought, echoing the spirit of a life that refused to separate the analytical from the aesthetic.

 G.T. Narayana Rao:

Guddehittalu Thimmappaiah Narayana Rao (1926–2008), fondly known as G. T. Narayana Rao or GTN, stands as one of modern Karnataka’s most remarkable polymaths. Trained in mathematics at the University of Madras, GTN began his career as a lecturer and NCC Major, earning a reputation for discipline, clarity, and intellectual rigor. As Executive Editor of the science section of the Kannada Vishwakosha at the University of Mysore, Rao played a pioneering role in developing a scientific vocabulary in Kannada. His work made complex ideas in physics, astronomy, and mathematics accessible to generations of students and readers, helping democratize scientific knowledge in the regional language. 

A prolific author of sixty books, Rao championed the cultivation of a scientific temper, writing extensively on fundamental science, biographies of great scientists, and rationalist thought. He also led cultural initiatives like Ganabharathi, leaving behind enduring contributions to both science and the arts. 

As we celebrate his centenary, we honour not just a scholar, but a visionary who redefined the possibilities of knowledge in Kannada and inspired generations to think, question, and create.

Speaker & Performers

Nagesh Hegde
Author & Journalist
Nagesh Hegde is a prominent voice in Karnataka who has spent over four decades making science accessible to the public. Trained as a geologist and driven by environmental concerns, he combines science, journalism, and activism.

Growing up in Bakkemane shaped his deep connection to nature, which influenced both his studies at institutions like IIT Kharagpur and JNU and his environmental work. As an early environmental science scholar in India, he brought together geology, ecology, and social awareness. He has played a major role in environmental movements like the Save Western Ghats campaign, linking ecological preservation with cultural and linguistic identity.

Hegde’s key contribution is popularizing science in Kannada. Through columns in Prajavani and Sudha, he translated complex ideas into everyday language, reaching homes, farms, and classrooms. With over 50 books and numerous awards, Hegde’s legacy lies in fostering scientific temper and making knowledge accessible to all.

TM Krishna
Karnatik Musician & Author
T.M. Krishna is a leading Karnatik vocalist known for both his deep classical grounding and striking individuality. Trained under eminent gurus like B. Seetharama Sarma, Chengalpet Ranganathan, and Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, he belongs to tradition yet reshapes it through his own distinctive, intense musical expression. A recipient of numerous honours, including the Sangita Kalanidhi (2025), Krishna is recognized for both his artistic excellence and his bold cultural engagement.

Beyond music, he is a public intellectual addressing cultural and social issues. His acclaimed books include A Southern Music (2013), a major exploration of Karnatik music, and Sebastian and Sons (2020), on mridangam makers. His 2026 book We, the People of India examines the meaning of national symbols.

Krishna is also known for boundary-pushing collaborations: working with environmentalists, transgender artists, folk performers, and writer Perumal Murugan. He is also known for bringing diverse voices and themes into classical music. He is currently involved in The Edict Project with Ashoka University, reimagining Ashoka’s edicts through music.

Akkarai Sornalatha
Violin
Akkarai S Sornalatha is an Indian classical (Carnatic) violinist and vocalist whose soulful music has captivated the hearts of music lovers worldwide. She and her sister Akkarai S Subhalakshmi, renowned as ‘Akkarai Sisters’, hold the unique distinction of being amongst the foremost artistes in the field as both vocal and violin duettists, as well as accompanists for many leading musicians.

Sornalatha hails from a musical family; her grandfather Suchindram Shri S P Sivasubramaniam was a multifaceted genius renowned as a violinist, vocalist, composer, and teacher; and her grandmother Smt R Sornambal was a Harikatha exponent and a music teacher. Sornalatha is the disciple of her father, Akkarai Shri S Swamynathan, a veteran violinist and founder of the Swara Raga Sudha school of music. Under his intensive training, she made her concert debut by the tender age of eight. Sornalatha also trained under Shri O V Subramaniam and his daughter Smt Padma Natesan of New Delhi, and later under Shri P S Narayanaswamy.

Charu Hariharan
Mridangam
Charu Hariharan is a percussionist, vocalist, composer, and producer from Kerala, India. Born into a musical family, she initially learned South Indian classical vocal music from her mother, the renowned classical singer Dr. B. Arundhathi. Charu has been a part of a variety of projects, including playing mridangam and khanjira in the quartet O! Shakuntala led by master slide guitarist and Grammy nominee Pt. Debashish Bhattacharya. Beyond her performance practice, Charu is also an accomplished producer, composer, and arranger who has created music for movies, documentaries, and independent releases.

Anirudh Athreya
Kanjira
Anirudh Athreya was born on 4 September 1988 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He received his training in Carnatic Music especially in Kanjira under the tutelage of V. Nagarajan and later came under the tutelage of T. K. Murthy. He has obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce. He has distinguished himself as a soloist and has also accompanied veterans of Carnatic music. He has a large number of recordings to his credit.

Anirudh has received many titles and awards including the Kaashyap Award conferred by the Valayapatti Naadhalaya Trust, Chennai (2003), and the Yuva Kala Bharathi Award given by the Bharat Kalachar, Chennai (2007). He was awarded the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar of Sangeet Natak Akademi for the year 2012 for his notable talent in the field of Carnatic instrumental music.