A vocalist in the Karnatik tradition, THODUR MADABUSI KRISHNA is known for his uncommon renditions and original interpretations of music. As a public intellectual, Krishna speaks and writes about issues affecting the human condition and about matters cultural. He is the driving force behind the Urur Olcott Kuppam Festival and the Svanubhava initiative, and has been part of inspiring collaborations such as the Chennai Poromboke Paadal with environmentalist Nityanand Jayaraman.
He is the recipient of the Professor V. Aravindakshan Memorial Award (2017), the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration (2017) and the Ramon Magsaysay Award (2016). His path-breaking book A Southern Music: The Karnatik Story won the 2014 Tata Literature Live! First Book Award for Non-fiction.