The second death anniversary of Padma Vibhushan Dr Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna was commemorated at Mahalakshmi temple in Eastham, London, on 24 November.
The event was organised by Kaza Business Consultants Ltd and it featured Indian dancers and singers from across the UK. All performances were based on exclusive compositions of the late Dr Balamuralikrishna.
The programme kicked off with an introductory speech by Geetha Kaza, who conceptualised the event. Following the traditional lamp lighting ceremony by Sitaraman, he reminisced fondly his personal interactions with the legend.
The opening performance was by Tanvi Sattiraju, who sang ‘Pari Parinee Paadame’, a composition devoted to Lord Ganesha. This was followed by a Kathak performance on Kalyani Thillana by Kavita Gupta. This performance highlighted Balamurali’s talent in melting away the difference between Hindustani and Carnatic classic.
Others who set the stage on fire were Kuchipudi dancer Santhi Ariparala, singer Tanvi Sattiraju, Bharatanatyam dancer Dr Chamu Kuppuswami and singer Veena Pani Kona among others.
The evening also featured Brindavani Thillana, a Bharatanatyam performance by Dr Nandita Kaza and Anusha Rajamani, who enthralled the audience with their brilliant beats; Kadanakutuhalam Thillana, another Bharatanatyam performance by Ashwini Deshpande; Padmini Karamcheti’s rendition of ‘Bhavame Mahabhagyamu’ and ‘Emi Setu Raa Linga’; and a dance performance by Alkananda Mohapatra.
The evening ended with a Kuchipudi performance by Sushma Pramod.
Bob Blackman MP speaks during the event
Pope Francis greets Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 summit near Bari, Italy, in June last year, as Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni and then British prime minister Rishi Sunak look on