Sriram
Kartik
Rhythm in his hands, Raga in his voice
A young mridangam artist and Carnatic vocalist — equally at home in the discipline of rhythm and the expression of raga.
Learning at the feet of masters
In Carnatic music, knowledge passes from guru to disciple as a living inheritance. Sriram Kartik's path reflects that continuity — formed through rigorous training, shaped by distinguished mentorship, and carried forward with seriousness and sincerity.
Grounding under Acharya Ratna Shri Mumbai Shankaranarayanan
Over eight formative years under a respected percussionist and teacher gave Sriram a strong grounding in laya, tala, tonal sensitivity and the finer art of accompaniment — the bedrock of all that follows.
Mridangam Arangetram
His formal debut on the concert platform at the Sivaswamy Auditorium, Mumbai — marking not an arrival, but the beginning of a more demanding phase of study.
Higher tutelage under Padma Vibhushan Dr. Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman
Under the maestro’s guidance, Sriram has entered a more demanding phase of study — refining his technique while absorbing the aesthetics, discipline and musical philosophy that give the mridangam its depth and voice.
Carnatic vocal tutelage under Acharya Rathnakara Sherthalai Dr. K. N. Renganatha Sharma
Running alongside the mridangam, his vocal training — also under Vidushi Dr. Mohana Sharma — cultivates an intimacy with svara, raga and sahitya that few percussionists acquire, lending his mridangam the phrasing instinct and melodic sensibility of a trained vocalist.
Rhythm and the voice
Mridangam
The principal percussion instrument of Carnatic music — a two-headed barrel drum carrying the rhythmic architecture of a concert. Sriram's art centres on accompaniment, tani avartanam, and the mathematics of korvai and tala.
Grounded in over eight years under Acharya Ratna Shri Mumbai Shankaranarayanan, he now receives higher tutelage from Padma Vibhushan Dr. Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman.
Carnatic Vocal
The voice is the source of the tradition, and every instrumentalist is rooted in it. Sriram's vocal practice spans varnams, kritis, and the improvisational realms of raga alapana and kalpana swaram.
He trains systematically under Acharya Rathnakara Vidwan Sherthalai Dr. K. N. Renganatha Sharma and Vidushi Dr. Mohana Sharma.
At ease as a soloist and as an accompanist, Sriram performs across Carnatic and fusion settings — bringing a curiosity for rhythm in many forms to sharpen his command of the mridangam.
Gurus & lineage
Padma Vibhushan Vidwan Dr. Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman
A mridangam maestro whose artistry has shaped generations of percussionists
To learn at the feet of Dr. Sivaraman is, for a young percussionist, both a rare honour and a profound responsibility — an apprenticeship in the aesthetics, discipline and philosophy of the art, far beyond the transmission of technique alone.
Acharya Ratna Shri Mumbai Shankaranarayanan
A respected percussionist, performer and teacher whose contribution to nurturing young talent in Mumbai's Carnatic community is widely acknowledged. Under his patient guidance over eight years, Sriram built the grounding in laya, tala and accompaniment on which his continuing development rests.
Acharya Rathnakara Vidwan Sherthalai Dr. K. N. Renganatha Sharma & Vidushi Dr. Mohana Sharma
Beyond percussion, Sriram pursues formal training in Carnatic vocal music under Acharya Rathnakara Vidwan Sherthalai Dr. K. N. Renganatha Sharma and Vidushi Dr. Mohana Sharma. This parallel training has enriched his understanding of raga bhava, sahitya and concert aesthetics, enabling him to approach rhythm with a broader musical perspective.
Such holistic training — long encouraged in Carnatic pedagogy — has helped shape him into a more sensitive and complete musician.
Dr. S. Seetha — veena exponent & musicologist
His maternal grand-aunt: former Professor & Head of Indian Music at the University of Madras, and author of the landmark study Tanjore as a Seat of Music. Her vision also helped establish Brhaddhvani, the research and training centre founded by veena maestro Dr. Karaikudi S. Subramanian — a legacy that lets Sriram see music not only as performance, but as a living tradition shaped by centuries of scholarship.
The Mridangam Arangetram
Presented on 7 June 2025, Sriram's formal mridangam debut was graced by Padma Vibhushan Dr. Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman and Shri V. V. Sundaram — Cleveland Sundaram, among the foremost patrons of Carnatic music abroad.
Sivaswamy AuditoriumThe Fine Arts Society, Chembur · Mumbai
Blessings & Patronage
Accompanying Ensemble
In performance
Where he has performed
Accolades in mridangam & vocal
Through his years of training, Sriram has earned distinctions in both mridangam and Carnatic vocal competitions — recognised by respected sabhas and cultural institutions in India and abroad.
Invite Sriram to perform
Sriram is available for sabha concerts and cultural events — as a mridangam accompanist and soloist, and as a Carnatic vocalist. For performance invitations, accompaniment and collaborations, do reach out.
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