Viji Subramaniam (15 August 1952 – 10 February 1995) was an Indian musician. He is well versed in the genres of World music, Indian classical, and film scores. She is best known as the first wife of veteran Indian musician and violinist Dr L. Subramaniam.
Wiki/Biography
Viji Subramaniam was born Vijayashree Shankar on Friday, 15 August 1952 (age 46 years; at death) in Madras, India. His zodiac sign is Cancer. Shortly after graduating, he joined the California Institute of the Arts to pursue a master’s degree in music. Her mother and uncle were well versed in Indian classical music, and they began training Vijayashree Shankar in music when she was young. He grew up in Bombay.
Viji Subramaniam with his mother (singing)
Physical appearance
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
His father’s name is Rajendra Shankar, and he is the brother of Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar. His mother’s name is Lakshmi Shankar, and she is a Hindustani vocalist.
Viji Shankar’s parents
Husband & Son
In 1976, Viji Shankar married Dr L Subramaniam who was an Indian musician.
Viji Subramaniam with her husband, L Subramanium
According to some media sources, in 1974, Viji Subramaniam and Dr L Subramaniam participated in the Music Festival from India, which was organized in London. During this event, they first met each other. After two years, they tied the knot in Bombay. The couple has four children. Their sons Dr Narayana Subramaniam and Ambi Subramaniam are musicians.
Narayana Subramaniam
Ambi Subramaniam
His daughters Ginger Shankar and Bindu Subramaniam are popular Indian musicians.
Bindu Subramaniam
Caste
He belongs to the Brahmin community.
Career
Musical Show
At a very young age, Viji Subramaniam started participating in almost every music event with his mother. During this music show, his mother used to sing while Viji played the tambura. Besides being a versatile tambura player, Viji is also a skilled singer. In the 1970s, he began attending international live music shows. He often accompanied sitarist Shankar and Ustad Alla Rakha in public performances and used to play tambura with them.
Old picture of Viji Subramaniam performing with Ustad Allah Rakha
In 1974, Viji Subramaniam, along with his aunt, Kamala Chakravarty, and mother, Lakshmi Shankar, attended the Shankar Music Festival from India, organized in collaboration with English musician and singer-songwriter, George Harrison.
Viji Subramaniam while playing the tambura and his mother singing
He first lent his voice to the Music Festival from India in 1976 when he sang songs for his studio album, produced by Harrison. In late 1974, this album was recorded at the Friar Park mansion in England.
Viji Subramaniam sings in Los Angeles
Movie
In 1988, Viji Subramaniam lent his voice to many songs in the film Salaam Bombay. In the same year, the film was awarded the Cannes Film Festival Audience Award and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In 1991, she lent her voice to various popular songs in the film Mississippi Masala starring Indian actress Sarita Choudhary and Denzel Washington in the lead roles.
Co-founder at Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival (LGMF)
Viji Subramaniam, along with her husband, L Subramaniam founded the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival (LGMF) in 1992 in memory of her late father-in-law for his great contribution to Indian classical music. The main motive behind the launch of this music festival is to bring together famous Indian and international artistes on the same platform. The festival includes the organization of many music events in different cities around the world including India, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, USA, China, Japan, Cuba, Senegal, Iran and Baluchistan. Several global artists and instrumentalists are associated with this festival for regular music shows around the world. These artists include Yehudi Menuhin, Bismillah Khan, Allah Rakha, Kishan Maharaj, Arve Tellefsen, Malavika Sarukkai, and Christian Eggen.
Music festival poster of Ravi Shankar from India. Viji Subramaniam and his mother (standing fourth and fifth from left)
Award
In 1972, Viji Subramaniam earned the All India Radio “President of India” medal for his excellence in singing on Indian radio and television.
Viji Subramaniam while singing on All India Radio
Death
On February 10, 1995, he died of cancer in Los Angeles, United States.
Facts/Trivia
- He also goes by the name Viji.
- In 1997, Ravi Shankar, the famous Indian musician wrote in his autobiography that Viji Subramaniam’s voice was sweet and beautiful.
- Reportedly, Viji Subramaniam’s favorite pastime is cooking South Indian food for his family. She used to cook Parmigiana for her husband who often ate it. It is stated in many media sources that he is skilled in preparing Mexican, Chinese and Italian cuisine. The report states,
Sometimes he branches out into other cuisines–Mexican, Chinese and Italian, for example. Eggplant Parmigiana is one of her husband’s favorite dishes. And he made enchiladas filled with cheese, olives and mushrooms.
- Soon after her marriage to L Subramaniam, she stood with him to spread the concept of Global Music across the world. According to them, this will reduce the dominance of Western music and let all other forms of music including Irish, Swedish, Danish, Chinese, African, Japanese and Iranian to flourish around the world.
- She moved to Los Angeles from India in the early 1990s and gave up her career in music for the sake of her husband and four children. He died in February 1995 after suffering from cancer.
- In 2006, her vocal performance was introduced in the documentary film ‘Violin from the Heart,’ which was based on the life of L Subramaniam. This short film was made by French director Jean Henri Meunier.
- His daughter, Ginger Shankar is considered one of Los Angeles’ most influential violinists and composers worldwide. According to Gigger Shankar, he was gifted with various musical training from his mother. Once, in an interview with a media house, Gingger Shankar recalled his childhood and said that when he was little, Gingger accompanied his mother to various classical concerts and used to listen to rock music together at home. Gigger Shankar says,
We would go to classical concerts and listen to rock music on the way home. He is a very open minded person and because of that I was able to absorb a lot of things.”
Gigger Shankar’s childhood photos with his mother
- His other two sons, Bindu Subramaniam and Ambi Subramaniam were seen performing live music at the 22nd LGMF stagings between December 2013 and January 2014. The event was part of a six-city India tour.
- Kavita Krishnamurthy, L Subramaniam’s second wife, once revealed in a media conversation that she attended one of Viji Subramaniam and L Subramaniam’s weddings. Kavita says,
I was at St Xaviers and he was a year older than me at Elphinston College. We share our passion for music. Because we meet common friends. My friend was invited to Viji’s wedding and I also went along for the haldi ceremony and after that, for the reception as well. All I know is that Viji is married to a South Indian musician. Later, I heard that he was going to live in America.
Viji Subramaniam on his wedding day
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
