The beginning of 2025 is a very sad time for the field of music. S. Bali, the rhythm king who worked with many stalwarts as a mridangam player, passed away after a brief illness. He was like a historian in the music field and had provided authentic observations at many musical programs.
Bali was eighty years old. The KFMA (Karnataka Film Musicians Association) has expressed deep grief over his demise.
“Bali (S. Balasubramanyam) nurtured hundreds of artists like me. He kept art alive. His death has saddened me greatly. May God grant him peace,” said famous comedy actor and music director Sadhu Kokila, who is also the president of the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy.
Bali, who started learning the mridangam at a young age, was also an expert in playing the dholak, tabla, and mridangam. He had extraordinary expertise in drums, bongos, and congas. He performed in ensembles composed by veteran artists of light music such as Balappa Hukkeri, P. Kalinga Rao, Mysore Anantha Swamy, C. Ashwath, Rathnamala Prakash, Malathi Sharma, and others.
He had been active since the first Kannada lyrical recording, Nityotsava. Bali worked on film songs composed by G.K. Venkatesh, Vijayabhaskar, M. Rangarao, Dr. Rajiv Taranath, and Ashwath-Vaidya. He also played a significant role in the production of Shankar Nag’s Sanket Studio. Bali, who wrote a three-dimensional book on background music—audio-video-reading—trained hundreds of new artists through his ‘Ramya Cultural Academy’. He was also on the judging panel of Zee TV’s popular show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa.
Born on January 9, 1953, Bali’s father, known as Biology Sundareshan alias M.V. Sundareshan, and mother, Savithri, nurtured his love for music from a young age. He learned the mridangam from Sri Ravindranath Wariar of Palakkad. Over the years, Bali gained fame and recognition for his dedication. He became known as the one and only South Indian rhythm composer, arranger, and conductor. He was a pillar of support when Shankar Nag started Sanket Studio, which was located next to the KFCC office.
Bali composed music for audio cassettes, television shows, plays, and more. He was the recipient of numerous accolades, including the Karnataka State Sangeetha Nruthya Academy Award and the Karnataka Kalashri Award.
