A Breath of Divinity

About Mali and book:

Tiruvidaimarudur Ramaswamy Mahalingam (6 November 1926 – 31 May 1986) affectionately known as ‘Flute Mali’, to millions of his fans, was a child prodigy flautist and a musical genius who revolutionised the style of flute-playing in South Indian classical music. His uncanny talent first came to light when he was only five. He had his first major public performance when he was seven. His career as a concert artiste started when he was nine and distinguished senior stalwarts of that era lined up to team with the ‘wonder boy’. His concerts were full of surprises when he gave the most unexpected shades to existing ragas and indulged in intricate rhythmic pattems with incredible ease. The tonal purity and melodic sweetness of his raga expositions were breathtaking and a pioneering work for his time. A hectic performance schedule spanning five decades made him the first global superstar instrumentalist in the Carnatic world. Off-stage, a shy and self-effacing person with the mind of a philosopher and a heart of a philanthropist, Mali remained a mystic to everyone he interacted with. His art continues to inspire generations of musicians. This is the first authorized and detailed biography of Flute Mali, a humble tribute on his birth centenary year.

About the author:

Veejay Sai is an award-winning writer, editor, translator, biographer and a culture critic. He has written and published extensively on Indian classical music, classical dance, theatre, Indic studies, food, and travel for the last two decades. He is a senior columnist with many newspapers and magazines. He loves documenting the cultural history of India through the lens of performing arts and tradition. He has held editorial designations in several prestigious newspapers and magazines over the past two decades.

He is the author of ‘Drama Queens : Women Who Created History On Stage’, (Roli Books, 2017) and ‘The Many Lives of Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna’ (Penguin Random House 2022). He has served on the jury of the National Film Awards for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. He is currently working on several Cultural history research projects. He lives in New Delhi. He may be contacted at - mangalam.bhavatu@gmail.com