Know About Viji Subramaniam Wiki, Biography, Death, Age, Husband, Children, Family

Viji Subramaniam is remembered as a gifted vocalist and tambura player whose life exemplified the bond between music and family for generations upon generations. That connection continues today through her lineage, which is regarded as one of India's finest musical families.

Her Story 

Viji Subramaniam, formerly known as Vijayashree Shankar, was born August 15th, 1952, in Madras (now known as Chennai), India. Growing up with strong ties to Indian classical music, Viji was fortunate to have begun her studies under the guidance of both her mother and uncle in Bombay (now known as Mumbai). 

Viji earned her high school diploma and received a master's degree in music from the California Institute of the Arts.

Viji died at 42 in Los Angeles, California, after fighting against cancer.

Viji had black hair and black eyes.

Viji was born into a well-known family of musicians.

Her father, Rajendra Shankar, was the older brother of sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar.

Her mother, Lakshmi Shankar, also a Hindustani Classical vocalist, was an inspiration in every way possible, coming from the Brahmin community and growing up with a musical and cultural education.

In 1976, she married L. Subramaniam, a well-known composer and violinist, who shared her passion for music and the arts, making them both creative and life partners.

Viji has four children:

Narayana Subramanian

Ambi Subramanian

Bindu Subramanian

Gingger Subramanian

Several of her children have become extremely successful musicians on a global scale, thus continuing the family tradition of being artists.

The Performance Career of Viji

Viji began performing at a young age with her mother and accompanying her on the tambura. She became an accomplished singer in her own right.

In the 1970s, she toured the world extensively as a vocalist and performed with some of the greatest musicians in history (i.e., Ravi Shankar and tambura master Alla Rakha).

In 1974, she was a participant in the "Music Festival of India," a co-production of Ravi Shankar and George Harrison, that was recorded at Friar Park in England and released in 1976.

Movies

Viji has voiced movies and also

Salaam Bombay! (1988)
Mississippi Masala (1991)

introduced her voice to those outside the concert halls of the world.

Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival

The festival was co-founded by Viji and her husband in 1992 to provide an expression of their father-in-law’s life and promote global music exchange. Over the years, the festival has become an internationally established platform, where artists from all over the world come together.

Awards

In 1972, she received the President of India Award from All India Radio for her excellence in singing on radio and television.

Legacy and Trivia

Her nickname was Viji

According to Ravi Shankar in his autobiography, "I fondly remember her sweet, beautiful voice".

Her enthusiasm for cooking showed when making eggplant parmigiana since her husband dearly savored that dish!

She also encouraged him to integrate Indian classical instruments into his music along with Western ones.

The Legacy of Viji Subramaniam

Viji Subramaniam was a very talented woman. She accomplished so much in the years she had lived on this planet. The children she left behind will continue sharing an appreciation for Indian classical music and popular music around the world through the various avenues they create now and throughout their lives.