Ramesh Narayan

Ramesh Narayan (born 3 November 1959) is an Indian classical vocalist, composer and music producer who works predominantly in Malayalam cinema.He belongs to the Mewati gharana of Hindustani classical music Narayan began his initial training in Carnatic music and later mastered the classical Hindustani style under the renowned Pandit Jasraj

Narayan began his career composing score music for documentaries, films and Indian television programs in Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil. He composed and sung the national integration song Saur Mandal Mein Tim Timin 1996, directed by Jnanpith Award laureate M.T. Vasudevan Nair for Lok Seva Sanchar Parishad. Narayan's film-scoring career began in the early 1990s with the Malayalam film Magrib. His notable works include Garshom, Meghamalhar, Saira, Makalkku, Rathri Mazha, Paradesi (2007 film), Manjadikuru Adaminte Makan Abu Veettilekkulla Vazhi, Makaramanju, Edavappathy, Ennu Ninte Moideen, Suryakantha etc.

Narayan has earned National Film Awards, four Kerala State Film Awards, two Kerala Film Critics Association Awards, four Kerala state Television awards, two Kerala State Television Critics Award, two Madrid Imagine India Film festival Award. In 2007, he received the Indian Music Academy Award for popularizing Hindustani classical music in Kerala from the then President of India Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

Narayan became popular by performing a 36 hour vocal recital as part of celebrating the 100 years of Indian Cinema at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. This performance got him an entry to the Limca Book of Records 2013 for completing the 24 hour raga cycle.

Early life
Narayan was born in Kuthuparamba, Kannur, Kerala in a family of Carnatic musicians. He received his early lessons in music from his parents. His father Narayan Bhagavathar was a Carnatic musician and his mother Narayani Amma was musical as well. The artistic ambience the family during his early childhood left a lasting impression on him and inspired Narayan to pursue his training in Carnatic music until the age of 20

During his university years at the Government Music College, Chitoor, Narayan was drawn to Hindustani music. His brother Ramdas, who was based in Pune, supported his dream to study Hindustani music and introduced Narayan to the city of Pune.

Career
Upon moving to Pune, he learnt Sitar under the tutelage of Satchidananda Phadke, a disciple of sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar. After learning sitar, he joined the Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya to study Hindustani vocal, and took his "Visharad" degree. Narayan said that he "felt entranced by the style of Pandit Jasraj" and decide to hone his talent and technique under Jasraj, who belongs to the Mewati Gharana. Pandit Jasraj gave him rigorous training for more than seven years in the "subtler aspects of music". Narayan accompanied Pandit Jasraj during several of his concerts.] One of his feats is a 30-hour concert he performed as a dedication to his father, the late Narayana Bhagavathar, and to Pandit Motiram, an exponent of the Mewati gharana.

Narayan has composed music for feature films and television serials such as Gharshom, Elayum Mullum, Magrib, Meghamalhar, Makalkku, Anyar and Sheelabathi.

His latest work include a ghazal song Nee poyathil pinne written by Jose Manuel Motha in 2020.