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Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri (1944–2007) was aKathakalimusician, renowned for his contributions to the classical dance-drama fromKerala in SouthIndia.[citation needed] Hisshruti-aligned music, combined with a distinctive voice spanning threeoctaves, made him a notable figure in the field. In 1990, he suffered a major illness, impacting his career.[1][2]
Embranthiri was born in 1944 into aBrahmin family in Vellayoor village,Malappuram district,Malabar.[citation needed] He learned Carnatic music from Govinda Pisarody before joiningKerala Kalamandalam in 1958, where he studied Kathakali music underKalamandalam Neelakantan Nambisan,Kalamandalam Gangadharan, Sivaraman Nair, and Madhava Panikkar. Madambi Subrahmanian Namboothiri, KalamandalamTirur Nambissan, andKalamandalam Hyderali also joined Kalamandalam the same year.[citation needed]
Embranthiri began performing in theTravancore region.[citation needed] He worked at the Unnayi Varrier Smaraka Kalanilayam inIrinjalakuda (1965) and later at the FACT Kathakali School nearKochi, where he retired as a teacher.[citation needed] He gained prominence in the 1970s, influencing singers likeKalamandalam Hyderali and VenmaniKalamandalam Haridas.[citation needed] He mentored Haridas upon his return to Kathakali after a hiatus.[3][citation needed]
In 1990, Embranthiri's health declined, requiring akidney transplant in 1991.[citation needed] He resumed performing but faced further challenges, includingdiabetes and the amputation of his right leg.[citation needed] Despite these setbacks, he continued singing, performing from a wheelchair.[opinion]
Embranthiri died on 14 November 2007, inAluva, near Kochi.[4] He was survived by his wife and two daughters.[citation needed]
A devotee of LordKrishna, Embranthiri had popular hits like "Ajitha Hare" and "Pari Pahimaam Hare".[5][citation needed] He performed Kathakali Padakacheris (concerts) and participated injugalbandi programmes with musicians likeNeyyattinkara Vasudevan,Sreevalsan J Menon, andRamesh Narayan.
Embranthiri received theKerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship in 2002 and theSwathi Sangeetha Puraskaram in 2003.[6]
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