homage to Garimella Balakrishna Prasad garu

 

He had a mesmerizing voice and sang Annamayya Keerthanas eulogizing Lord Srinivasa – he slept in the divine feet of Lord on 9.3.2025; his demise has left a deep void in the world of classical devotional music.

 

Devotional singer Garimella Balakrishna Prasad is no more !! 

Born in Rajahmundry in 1948, Garimella Balakrishna Prasad   was conferred Sangeet Natak Akademi for year 2020; he was  T.T.D Asthana Vidwaan and Ahobhila mutt Asthana Vidwaan. He served Tirumala Tirupati Devastanam's Annamacharya Project as Special Grade Vocal Artiste from 1978 to 2006.  He is regarded as a pioneer in composing and rendering Annamacharya Sankeerthanas in various Indian musical genres like classical, semi-classical, light and folk styles. He composed tunes for the lyrics of nearly 1400 songs composed by various poets. Of these nearly 1000 of them were Annamacharya sankirtanas.   

He would ever be remembered for composing the tune for more than 1,000 compositions of saint-poet Tallapaka Annamacharya. While the compositions were found and recovered in lyrical form, it was Balakrishna Prasad who brought them in musical form to the reach of music lovers.  He passed away peacefully at Tirupathi on Sunday evening at the age of 76 years following a cardiac arrest. 

Born to   Smt.Krishnaveni, Vocal and ViolinArtiste  &  Garimella Narasimha Rao - "Vaaggeyakara"   author of "Sangeetha Swara Saahitya Samputi", he rose to become a devotional singer devoted to Thirumala  

His publications  include  Anjaneya Krithi  Manimala, Sri Ganesh Krithi Manimala and Navagrahadi Krithi Manimala. He brought out 12 books for the TTD featuring Annamayya Keerthanas and published two volumes of Annamayya Sankeerthana Sanjeevi.  Balakrishna Prasad himself tuned over 1,000 Sankeerthanas, thereby preserving and propagating Annamacharyas spiritual legacy. Despite his age, he remained active in his musical journey. He performed regularly at the Sahasa Deepalankara Seva in Tirumala on the third Friday of every month and at the Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Unjal Seva in Tiruchanur on the fourth Friday.

 

February 28, 2025 witnessed Garimella Balakrishna Prasad's last performance, when he sang at the Yadadri Temple in Hyderabad. As part of TD's two-year scholarship programme, he has trained over 50 students, ensuring that the rich tradition of Annamayya Sankeerthanas continues to flourish. A recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Balakrishna Prasad is survived by his wife Radha and two  sons. 

He has been felicitated and conferred scores of awards and titles including:  Annamacharya Sankeerthana Mahati,  AP Govt Ugadi Puraskaram, Asthana Sangeetha vidwan of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti peedam, Potti Sriramulu Telugu Univ – Best Musician for the year 2009, Annamayyanda Jyoti in 1997 at California,  Sri Annamacharya Vidwan Mani at Chicago, Lakshagalaarchana saradhi, Simhathalata Purashkar (Golden bangle like ornament with face of lion), Enchanting Singer, Harikeethana charya, and many more. 

His voice reverberated in holy Thirumala hills and from now on it can only be his recordings as he will not be present, perhaps serving Sri Venkatachalapathi at His place in Srivaikukndam.  

Tearful homage to the divine voice of  singer Garimella Balakrishna Prasad garu.  Here is one of his renditions :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RncmDiCD4j4  

 
With grief – S Sampathkumar
10.3.2025