Madras High Court halts music academy’s plan to honor TM Krishna with MS Subbulakshmi award.

The Madras High Court on Tuesday prohibited the Madras Music Academy from conferring the Sangita Kalanidhi MS Subbulakshmi Award on Carnatic vocalist and activist TM Krishna. The court’s decision came after hearing a petition filed by V. Srinivasan, the grandson of the legendary musician MS Subbulakshmi, who challenged using her name for the award.
Justice G. Jayachandran clarified that while the Music Academy is free to bestow awards, including on TM Krishna, it must refrain from naming any award after MS Subbulakshmi. The court remarked, “Anyone who truly respects and reveres MS Subbulakshmi should honor her wishes and refrain from giving awards in her name, as per her explicit desire.”
The petitioner, Srinivasan, informed the court that MS Subbulakshmi’s Will explicitly stated her disapproval of any trust, foundation, or memorial being established in her name after her passing. Srinivasan argued that using her name for an award violated her final wishes. He also expressed concerns about TM Krishna being chosen for the honor, alleging that Krishna had made “vile and defamatory remarks” about Subbulakshmi on social media, tarnishing her reputation.
In his petition filed in August, Srinivasan sought a complete prohibition on using Subbulakshmi’s name for any awards. He maintained that allowing such awards would go against the spirit of her Will, which conveyed her intent to avoid any form of memorialization.
The Music Academy’s decision to name the award after MS Subbulakshmi drew criticism, especially given the petitioner’s assertion that Krishna’s past actions and comments on Subbulakshmi were disrespectful. Srinivasan alleged that Krishna had engaged in “malicious and scandalous” attacks on the late musician, making him an unsuitable recipient of an award in her name.
This ruling highlights the importance of honoring the expressed wishes of public figures regarding their legacies, particularly when those figures hold iconic status in cultural history. The decision has also sparked discussions on the balance between respecting individual legacies and the freedom of institutions to commemorate them.