| Vidwan R S Nandakumar | |
| Birth Date: | 21 June 1960 |
| Birth Place: | Bhadravathi, Karnataka |
| Citizenship: | India |
| Alma Mater: | Kannada University, Hampi, Karnataka, India |
| Occupation: | Singer, Composer, Acharya |
| Years Active: | 1980-present |
| Spouse: | Radhika Nandakumar |
| Awards: | Karnataka Kalashri |
R. S. Nandakumar is an Indian Karnataka classical vocal musician, composer, and scholar.[1] His father and mentor was an acharya of Indian musicology and danceology, Padma Shri awardee Mahamahopadhyaya R. Sathyanarayana, under whom he studied Indian music and Shastra.[2]
R.S. Nandakumar was born in 1960 in Bhadravathi, Karnataka, India. He hails from a distinguished lineage of musicians and scholars. His father, R. Sathyanarayana, was one of four brothers who were then popularly known as The Mysore Brothers[3] (not to be confused with Mysore Brothers). He is married to Radhika Nandakumar, a Bharatanatyam dancer.
Nandakumar has a musical career characterized by his contributions to resurrecting, reconstructing and reviving ancient Indian musical forms.[4] In 2012, he did extensive research into the musical heritage of the Haridasas of Karnataka.[5] He has revived and performed various rare musical forms, such as Gadya, Dandaka, Suladi, Vrittanama, and Bhramaragita, maintaining their authentic shastra-ic styles.[6] Nandakumar has performed in India and in the UK, USSR, Germany, Italy and USA.[7]
Nandakumar received the Senior Research Fellowship from Ministry of Culture, Government of India[6] to do in depth study on Ela, which is one of the most ancient forms of music compositions in Indian music. His other research include significant works on the Mysore School of Bharatanatyam[8] and a D.Litt. thesis on Sripadaraya awarded by Kannada University, Hampi, Karnataka in 2013.[9] He has served as the Hon. Director of Prasaranga at the Karnataka State Dr. Gangubai Hanagal Music and Performing Arts University, Mysuru. He now heads Brahmavidya, Mysuru[10] and presently serves as the president for KCMC, Bangalore.[11]