Early Days
A V Anand was born on April 16, 1936 to Sri Alankar Venkobachar and Smt Nagamma in Holenarsipura, Hassan in Karnataka.
At the tender age of four, his parents observed a strong inclination in him towards percussion instruments. This interest was evident as he would frequently tap and clap fingers on household utensils.
Venkobachar and K S Manjunath shared a close friendship, stemming from their mutual connection to music. Manjunath, then a bachelor, was honing his skills on the mridanga under the tutelage of Sri Palghat Shreenivasa Iyer, a respected mridanga scholar residing in Bangalore at the time. Interestingly, Venkobachar, also keen on learning the mridanga, joined these sessions. This shared musical pursuit forged a strong bond between them leading to a deep and lasting friendship.
Naturally, Venkobachar discussed with Manjunath about Anand’s interest in percussion. Manjunath also noticed this and agreed to teach mridangam for Anand who was 5-6 years of age. This initiation was the first and a big step in Anand’s musical journey.
More details of Guru Parampara here.
The Beginning of a Performing Career
Inspired by the father’s observation, the guru began teaching Anand mridangam at the tender age of six. The curriculum was highly systematic and disciplined, emphasizing correct finger placement, clear syllable pronunciation, and maintaining clarity even at high speeds. Any slight deviation would incur the guru’s displeasure, and daily lessons had to be perfected before moving on. This rigorous training instilled a blend of fear, a strong desire to learn, and a commitment to flawless execution. Though the guru never overtly displayed his satisfaction, Anand diligently practiced, acknowledging his Guru as an unparalleled “Hard Task Master.”
After approximately two years of this intense training and sadhana for 4-8hrs everyday, the Anand was ready for public performance. In 1946, on Vijayadashami, Anand debuted by playing the ghatam alongside his guru’s mridanga accompaniment at a wedding concert featuring singer Kumari Saroja. The very next day, they played mridanga for Kumari Saroja’s concert at the Congress exhibition, marking the unbroken commencement of their artistic journey.
Association with the Great - Mysore T Chowdiah
The family’s devout observance of the Ananta Padmanabha Vrata in 1947 led to an unexpected visit from Vidwan Sri Chowdiah, a close family friend. Impressed by the sacred atmosphere, Chowdiah expressed a desire to offer a violin performance as a devotional service in front of the deity on the auspicious day.
Upon hearing that Anand plays mridangam, Chowdiah insisted, “Why Veerabhadraiah, let Anandu play”. Guru K S Manjunath also arrived at the house. Despite the guru’s suggestion that Anand is very young to play for Chowdiah, he finally conceded to Chowdiah’s insistence. A spontaneous concert ensued with Chowdiah on violin, Manjunath on Ghata and Anand on mridangam, drawing a large crowd from outside the house. Chowdiah encouraged Anand throughout the performance and later told the guru, “Manju, Anandu plays well. When Veerabhadraiah is busy, let Anando play the mridanga for my office.”
In April of 1948, for the wedding reception of the daughter of the Education Minister, Shankare Gowda, in Jayanagar, Chowdiah specifically requested Anand to play mridanga for his violin concert. This performance marked Anand’s first public concert with the legendary Chowdiah.
Find more insights of Anand’s experience with T Chowdiah here
Chembai's Blessings
Over time, Anand became the preferred mridangam accompanist for Chowdaiah’s violin concerts whenever M.L. Veerabhadraiah was unavailable. These performances, alongside Choudaiah’s erudite and diverse recitals, provided immense experience and fostered the confidence to play with any artist. By his twenties, Anand was a highly sought-after artist, performing with eminent scholars from across India.
A particularly memorable performance occurred in 1962 during the Sri Rama Navami festival in Chamarajpet, Bangalore. At Sri Chowdiah’s recommendation, Anand played mridangam for the legendary vocalist Sri Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, with his own guru playing the ghatam. Chembai publicly acknowledged the Anand’s talent, drawing a parallel to the legendary Palani Subrahmanya Pillai and offering profound blessings. This incident, believed to be the catalyst for his artistic success, led to further collaborations with other esteemed artists of the country.
Rise to Fame - Notable Collaborations
Anand performed with many leading artists of the era, including Ariyakudi Ramanujam Iyengar, G.N.B., Alathur brothers, Madurai Mani Iyer, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, T.R. Mahalingam, D.K. Pattammal, M.S. Subbulakshmi , M.L.V.
He also accompanied talented scholarly vocalists like T.K. Rangachari, Sattur Subrahmanyam, Salem Desikar, Salem Chellam Iyengar, Nedunuri Krishnamurthy, Olati Venkateswarulu, Balamuralikrishna and R.K Srikanthan.
Anand cherishes many unforgettable moments in his artistic life, including numerous concerts with Veena Doreswamy Iyengar across India and abroad.
Anand accompanied MS. Sheela to the prestigious Thyagaraja worship festival in Cleveland, USA. This extended two-and-a-half-month tour included approximately 30 concerts across the United States and Canada.
Spiritual Journey
Deeply influenced by their cultured and devout parents, the Anand developed a strong sense of religious devotion, particularly towards God and Guru. This spiritual inclination led them, along with their wife, to visit Raghavendraswamy at Mantralaya during Diwali in 1974. There, they encountered Shri Baburao Kulkarni (affectionately called Babanna), a celibate and ardent devotee of Raya, who had been undertaking an annual pilgrimage from Lakshmeshwar for 16 years. This chance meeting blossomed into a tradition.
Anand and their friends joined Babanna and an ever-growing group of devotees annually at Mantralaya. Babanna’s resolution to complete 50 years of pilgrimage, which culminated in 2008, was a powerful inspiration. Anand participated in the padayatra from 1997 to 2000 and again in 2008. In 2018, having completed 60 years of continuous pilgrimage, Babanna was honored with a grand ceremony at Mantralaya, and passed away in January 2019. Babanna’s selfless devotion profoundly influenced Anand, inspiring them to continue his spiritual practices.
Awards and Accolades
Over his 8 decades of concert experience now, Anand has been conferred with many prestigious awards and accolades. Few among them are,
- Kala Sarathi by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji, BHAAV 2025.
- TTK Award by Madras Music Academy, Chennai in 2023.
- Rajya Sangeetha Vidwan by Department of Kannada and Culture, Govt of Karnataka, 2021.
- Sangeetha Kalaratna by Bangalore Gayana Samaj, 2009.
For more details visit the Awards and Accolades here.