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T. R. Pappa
Background information
Born	Sivasankaran 3 July 1922[1]
Origin	Thiruthuraipoondi,Madras Presidency, British India
Died	15 October 2004(2004-10-15) (aged 82)
Occupation(s)	Film score composer, music director
Instrument	Violin

Thiruthuraipoondi Radhakrishnan Sivasankaran (T. R. Pappa) (3 July 1922 – 15 October 2004) was an Indian music director ofTamil,Telugu andSinhalese films. He was born in 1923 atThiruthuraipoondi,Madras Presidency, British India.^[2][3]

Papa's real name is Sivasankaran, who is from a lineage of musical family in Thruthuraipoondi. He started training on the violin from early childhood. His father, Radhakrishnan, had inability to pay tuition fees his education was stopped in middle. He was trained by Siva Vadivelu Pillai who joined in National movie tone cinema company, as fiddle player to some movies Seemanthini 1936 Parvathi Kalyanam 1936 and this life of carrying instruments ended in 1938.

After he joined as a helper to S.G. Kasi Iyer, elder brother of great Kittappa. In 1941 most of the citizens was flying to other towns due to fear of Japanese Bombing Jupiter Pictures was shifted to Coimbatore, M.S.Viswanathan went with S.V.Venkatraman who is famous music director on those days. Kalki's daughter Ananthi, Sadasivam's daughter Radha were dancers, jointly made dance Programmes, M.S.Viswanathan as Playback Singer along with Papa Violin.

Papa started playing the violin inManonmani (Modern Theatres) andKannagi,Kubera Kuchela andMahamaya (Jupiter Pictures). In the late 40s, Papa andT. K. Ramamoorthy were the highest paid violinists for the movies and were always in demand. He was the Director of Music Colleges

Papa became music director for Malayalam filmAathmasanthi in 1952. The chance was given to him byJoseph Thaliath Jr. of Citadel Film Corporation. This film is dubbed in Tamil under the same title.

Then onwards, Papa went on to compose for many of Citadel films such asMallika,Vijayapuri Veeran,Vilakketriyaval,Iravum Pagalum andKathal Paduthum Padu.

Papa also composed music for many Sinhalese films. The songSiriyame Sara, sung byH. R. Jothipala is one of the popular hits in Sinhalese.

He worked with singers likeT. M. Soundararajan,A. M. Rajah,Seerkazhi Govindarajan,Thiruchi Loganathan,C. S. Jayaraman,S. C. Krishnan,A. L. Raghavan,M. L. Vasanthakumari,P. Leela,Jikki,T. V. Rathnam,A. P. Komala,P. B. Sreenivas,K. Jamuna Rani,P. Susheela,A. G. Rathnamala, T. S. Bagavathi,Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi, A. Nithyakala,S. Janaki,L. R. Eswari,S. P. Balasubrahmaniam, B. S. Sasirekha andS. P. Sailaja.

The singing actorsK. R. Ramasamy,T. R. Rajakumari,P. Bhanumathi,N. S. Krishnan,T. A. Madhuram andJ. P. Chandrababu also sang memorable songs under his compositions.

As a Nilaya Vidwan of AIR from 1946, Papa accompanied the violin for many great classical vocalists. He composed music for many wonderful devotional albums withSeerkazhi Govindarajan where the songChinnanjiru Penn Pole dedicated to the Goddess Abirami is notable. Papa scored music for the albumAbirami Andhaadhi. Papa has served as the Principal of Madras Music College.

T. R. Ramanna and Papa were classmates in Thanjavur. T. R. Ramanna was in the midst of the making ofArunagirinathar when the music directorG. Ramanathan fell ill. Papa was called upon to complete the rest of the songs. T. R. Ramana again engaged Papa for his movies in the early 1970s.

Tamil Isai Sangam conferred the titleIsai Perarignar (Great Scholar of Music) on him.

Some of the notable music compositions:

• Enna Enna Inbame forAnbu byA. M. Rajah andJikki
• Samarasam Ulaavum Idame forRambaiyin Kaadhal bySeerkazhi Govindarajan
• Bagavane Mounam Eno forRambaiyin Kaadhal bySeerkazhi Govindarajan
• Varuven Naan Unadhu forMallika byA. M. Rajah andP. Susheela
• Chinnanjiru Vayathu Mudhal forThaai Magalukku Kattiya Thaali byT. M. Soundararajan andJikki
• Yaar Solluvaar Nilave forKuravanji byC. S. Jayaraman
• Sirikkindraal Indru Sirikkindraal forNallavan Vazhvan bySirkazhi Govindarajan andP. Susheela
• Ullam Thedaathe Endru Solluthe forEthaiyum Thangum Idhayam by K. R. Ramasamy andS. Janaki
• Unakkum Enakkum Veguthooram Illai forEthaiyum Thangum Idhayam bySoolamangalam Rajalakshmi
• Muththaitharu Paththithala forArunagirinathar byT. M. Soundararajan
• Onnume puriyale ulagathile forKumara Raja byJ. P. Chandrababu
• Ullathin Kadhavugal Kanngalada forIravum Pagalum byT. M. Soundararajan
• Muththama Asai Muththama forVilakketriyaval byP. Susheela
• Asai Ponggum Azhagu Roobam forAsai byA. M. Rajah andJikki
• Soodi Koduthaval Naan Thozhi forTeacheramma byP. Susheela
• Thalai Vaari poochoodi Unnai forRangoon Radha byP. Bhanumathi
• Iraivan Endroru Kavignan forYen byS. P. Balasubrahmaniam
• Ullathile Uram Vendumada forVijayapuri Veeran byA. M. Rajah
• Vennila Nerathile Venugaanam forAvasara Kalyanam byP. Susheela

• Myriad Music Composers of the Last Century in My Movie Minutes

• Tamil film score composers
• Tamil musicians
• 1922 births
• 2004 deaths
• People from Tiruvarur district
• 20th-century Indian composers
• Indian male film score composers
• 20th-century Indian male musicians

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