Even as popular Carnatic singer TM Krishna gets feted for being awarded the Ramon Magsaysay award for working towards social inclusion through art, writer Jeyamohan has slammed the singer, stating that he does not deserve the award.
Writing on his blog, Jeyamohan has also held The Hindu responsible for TM Krishna getting the award, “I sense The Hindu is behind him getting the award. With the money and the clout, why tomorrow he could get the Jnanpith.” TM Krishna has written several columns on the newspaper, in which he addressed a wide range of people, from Muslims to Narendra Modi.
In his typically acerbic style, he said that Krishna is an “average singer” who could not be listened to more than once, and does not even deserve to sit in the same chair as Sanjay Subrahmanyam, another popular Carnatic singer.
He also mocks his attempt to take Carnatic music to the slums by asking, “Like that has not happened before?”
“He only yells louder than the others, so he received an award,” he says adding that he was an “armchair critics” and an “empty vessel”.
Note: The earlier version of the news report wrongly characterized the nature of TM Krishna's work and the project. On being pointed out, we have made the necessary changes. We profusely and unconditionally apologize for the editorial oversight in wrongful portrayal of the Urur Olcott Kuppam. We are in complete agreement with what has been pointed out.)