Nisha P Rajagopal, a popular young vocalist in the field of Carnatic Music, is the first recipient of the "Hindu  Saregama M.S.Subbulakshmi Award" in April 2011. She has performed in the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana on many occasions and recently toured the USA performing in 17 cities.  She is an A Grade artist of AIR. She has performed in all major sabhas in India and abroad. She is Electronics Engineer by qualification.

Nisha commenced her musical training with her mother, Smt. Vasundhra Rajagopal and later received advanced training from senior gurus, Sri. T. R. Subramanyam, Calcutta Krishnamurti, Smt. Suguna Varadachary, and Sri.P. S. Narayanswamy. She has received numerous awards from prestigious organisations some of which are listed below.

Prizes and Awards

•  Music Academy - Outstanding Lady Vocalist    (Sub-Senior), December 2008 and December 2009

•  Sri Krishna Gana Sabha  - Sri Krishna Gana Sabha Endowment Prize, December 2008

•  Bharat Kalachar - Conferred the title Yuva Kala Bharathi, December 2007

•  Music Academy - Swarna Venkatesa Dikshitar Award, December 2007

•  Kalakruthi - Sri A M Venugopal Award for talented young musician, April 2007

•  Vipanchee - Conferred the title ‘Gana Kala Vipanchee’,    January 2007

•  Music Academy - Shri B. Natarajan Endowment Award, December 2006
 
•  Narada Gana Sabha - The Carnatic Music Association of North America, Inc. NJ (USA)

Dr. M.L Vasanthakumari Endowment (CMANA Award), December 2005

•  Music Academy - Shri B. Natarajan Endowment Award,  December 2004

•  Kartik Fine Arts - D. K. Pattammal Award of Excellence, December 2004

•  Music Academy - Award for vocalist under 25 (instituted by CMANA, USA), December 2003

•  The Indian Fine Arts Society - Best Junior Lady Vocalist, December 2003

•  Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha - Prize for best concert , December 2003

Scholarships

•  Department of Culture Senior Scholarship for Advanced Training in Music, 2000

•  Bharat Kalachar Scholarship for Carnatic Music from 1995 - 1998.

•  Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) Scholarship of the Government of India for Classical 
   Carnatic Music since 1992.

Concert Review

Nisha Rajagopal presents a pleasant concert at Nadasurabhi

Song List:

1. Evari Bhodana- Varnam - Abhogi
2. Raama Nee pai- Kedaram- Thyagaraja
3. Entara Nee thana- Hari Kambodhi- Ragam, Swaram @ Seshudu- Thyagaraja
4. Subramanyena Rakshitoham- Suddha Dhanyasi- Ragam, Swaram- MD
5. Slokam in Anandabhairavi- O- Jagadamba- Shyama Sastry
6. Thamasamaa Amma- Tamil- Kunthalavarali- Papanasam Sivan
7. Main- Koluva maragatha- Thodi- N @ Sri karuniki, Swaram- Thyagaraja
8. Thani
9. Kandena Govindana- Chandrakauns- PD
10. Mano Maruganai - Virutham in Saveri and mand- Aarumo aaval- T.K.Kalyanam
11. Mangalam

The concert of Kumari Nisha Rajagopal at Nadasurabhi on 16th October was a pleasant and enjoyable experience. Starting with a sober Abhogi varnam, Nisha proceeded to present the sweet popular Thyagaraja Kriti Raama nee pai in Kedaram. The first raga elaboration was for Harikambodhi and the song was Enthara nee thana of Thyagaraja. The sub-main  piece which followed was in raga Suddha Dhanyasi. The artist clearly emphasised the charecteristic pidis of the raga and the grand Muthuswami Dikshitar's Subramanyena Rakshitoham made a deep impression on the audience.

Nisha's concert continued with a slokam in Anandabhairavi followed by O- Jagadamba of Shyama sastry. There was then a filler in Tamil, Thamasamaa amma, a kunthalavarali piece by Papanasam Sivan. The main was Thodi ragam with an elaborate raga alapanai. Thyagaraja's Koluvu maragatha came majestically with neraval and swaram placed around Sree Karuniki. Thani avarthanam by senior mridangam vidwan Sri Cheluvaraju and Sri. Omkar Rao was indeed a delight. The interest and energy that they put in was simply amazing.

The tail pieces were Kandena Govindana in Chandrakauns by  Purandara Dasa and Aarumo aaval,a tamil piece in mand preceded by a virutham Mano maruganai which started with Saveri and dovetailed into the mand song.

The importance of the well attended concert was that it was a well balanced concert without any inadequacy or excess in any section.  There was also no time wasted between songs. The young artist showed maturity in the presentation, doing good justice to her gurus, the list of which is like a who-is-who among the greatest Carnatic music gurus! Violin accompaniment of Smt. Charulatha Ramanujam was, as usual, of very high calibre. In harikambodhi and sudda dhanyasi raga alapanai, one would even say that she had an edge over the vocalist which was amply acknowledged by Nisha herself.