SIKKIL MALA CHANDRASEKHAR

Sikkil Mala Chandrasekhar is a noted South Indian flautist. Born into a musical family, Mala Chandrasekhar started learning from her aunt and mother Sikkil Sisters —Sangeetha kalanidhi Padmasri Smt.Sikkil V.Kunjumani & Sangeetha Kalanidhi  Padmashri Smt Sikkil.N.Neela.  Major influences on Mala's playing are the expertise and repertoire of noted vocalist and teacher Radha Viswanathan and of Radha's mother and guru M.S. Subbulakshmi whose family Mala joined by marriage. Ms. Mala is the First woman to represent India during the International Flute Convention held at Atlanta, Georgia, USA — 1999. She was also the first Indian to participate at a conference held in May 2006 at the National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota, USA, was the first South Indian Flautist to have performed in  Jordan Music Festival in 2009.  Mala is a” Top graded” artiste by AIR (All India Radio) and has given concerts throughout India and abroad . She also has many accolades to her credit. A few of them are:

- 1995 The Title of “Kalaimamani” (received at less than 35 years of age)

- 2000 “Isai Peroli”from Karthik Fine Arts ,Chennai

- 2012 "Madurai Murali Puraskar"- Vipanchi 

- 2011"Lifetime Achievement Award"- Sahara India Parivar, Lucknow. She was the first South Indian      to  receive this award.

- 2008 "Excellence Award" United Nations & YMCA, U.S.A.

- 2006 "Shanmukha Sangeetha Shiromani" Shanmukhananda Sabha,Mumbai.