A Tribute to Smt. Indira Sivasailam

A calm, gracious and simple person, Indira was a very dear friend to me for nearly three decades. Elegant, cheerful and always smiling she radiated happiness wherever she went. Memories of the time we spent together are very dear to me. I especially cherish the discussions we had on Vedanta and the debates were not just academic but centred around how we could apply these philosophical learnings in our daily lives. I recall with nostalgia how Indira, Geetha and I immersed ourselves in the study of the Bhagavad Gita and Bhoja’s Champu Ramayanam.

We enjoyed the simple pleasures of life and would many a times drive down the ECR road and occasionally stop for a tasty meal at Arusuvai’s. These drives would invariably be enlivened by Indira’s music, which became an essential part of our outing.

One can’t talk about Indira without talking about her love for Carnatic music. Blessed with a melodious voice, she enjoyed music and was a dedicated student of Carnatic music all her life. Her dedication was such that despite her in-depth knowledge and understanding, she craved to delve deeper into the world of Carnatic music and unravel its magic.

Indira has been under the tutelage of some prominent Carnatic music gurus. And it was indeed a moment of great pride when Indira, one of Sri. D. K. Jayaraman’s leading students performed with his group at the Music Academy’s morning kutcheri.

In the latter part of her life, Indira became a munificent patron of Carnatic music and supported all artists and believed very strongly in the importance of preserving this rich cultural heritage.

She was a magnanimous person and enriched the lives of all around her with exuberance and humility and it is my privilege to have been her friend. She remains forever in my heart.

Smt. Kamala Kasturi