MADHU BALAKRISHNAN

MADHU BALAKRISHNAN – Playback Singer

Madhu Balakrishnan - born 24 June 1974 is from Tripunithura, Cochin, Kerala in India. He is a graded artist for All India Radio and Doordarshan. He holds a degree in music from the Academy of Indian Music and Arts, Chennai. He started training in carnatic music from his childhood under Sreedevi and Chandramana Narayanan Namboothiri, and later had the guidance of T. V. Gopalakrishnan, Manikrishna Swami and Vedavalli of Chennai.He participated many musical concert for Arunothaya college - alaveddy in Jaffna, Colombo, London,Paris,Australia,Singapore,Malasiya.

Madhu sung "Amme Amme" from the film Vaalkannadi in 2002, which got him a Kerala Government State Award. He has sung around 150 Malayalam film songs, 65 Kannada film songs, 47 Telugu film songs and 81 Tamil film songs. Some of Madhu's songs include "Kuttanadan Kaayalile" from Kazhcha in Malayalam, "Konjaneram Konjaneram" a duet with Asha Bhosle from Chandramukhi, the Rajnikanth starrer, "Kana Kanadi Sharade" from Apthamitra a Vishnuvardhan starrer in Kannada and "Kannaa kandeinadee" from the Tamil film Parthiban Kanavu. His song "Pichai Pathiram", written and set to music by Ilaiyaraaja for the movie Naan Kadavul, won him the Mirchi Music award in 2010. Madhu has also lent his voice for the Ilaiyaraaja album Thiruvasagam. Recently Madhu sang the title song for the Malayalam serial Swamy Ayyappan. In 2010 Madhu, heading a team of amateur singers, won the inaugural Sun TV music competition Sangeetha Maha Yuttham against five other teams, each helmed by a professional singer.

In October 2010, Madhu and his pals, S36 the band, released their self-titled debut album of experimental songs. The band is helmed by cricketer Sreesanth, who is also Madhu's brother-in-law. The album is a compilation of songs that the group had informally released on the Internet earlier. These include "Jaago India", an inspirational song intended for the World Twenty20 Championship in 2007, and a song intended as an unofficial theme for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Madhu, along with M. Jayachandran and M. G. Sreekumar, recorded songs for the Acethetik initiative. His contribution includes light music and Hindu devotional songs for the website.

He has performed with major playback singers such as K.J. Yesudas, Asha Bhosle, Jayachandran, M. G. Sreekumar, K. S. Chitra, Sujatha Mohan, Madhuri and P. Susheela. He is a life member of the Malayalam Cine Technicians Association (MACTA). He performs regularly in the "Swaralaya Dance & Music Festival" held in Palakkad and the "Chembai Sangeethootsavam" in Guruvayur and also appears in popular television programs on south Indian Television channels such as Doordarshan, Kairali TV, Asianet and Amrita TV. He has also performed overseas in countries such as UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Malaysia, Canada and Singapore.

Madhu is married to Divya Madhu ; the elder sister of cricket player S. Sreesanth. The couple has two sons, Madhav (born 2002) and Mahaadev (born 2009). Madhu's younger brother Sree Kumar is married to Amrita TV anchor Rhomy, daughter of Malayalam cine and serial artist Ambika Mohan.

He has won many awards including:

• 2000 - Soma Award for Best Male Playback singer
• 2001 - Drisya Award for Best Male Playback singer (Television)
• 2002 - Kerala State Film Award for Best Singer for the song "Amme Amme" from the film Vaalkannadi
• 2002 - Mahatma Gandhi Educational Foundation Award
• 2002 - Solar Award
• 2002 - Junior Chamber Award
• 2003 - Kerala Film Critics Award
• 2004 - Kerala Film Critics Award
• 2004 - LPR Award
• 2004 - Best Melody Singer (Virtuoso Award–Tamil Films)
• 2006 - Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer
• 2007 - Filmfare award for Best Playback Singer- Rock N Roll
• 2007 - Ujala Asianet Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the movie Rock N Roll
• 2007 - Kalaimamani award for excellence in music, dance, cinema and art conferred by the Tamil Nadu state government.
• 2009 - Kerala Film Critics Award from the film ("Pathaam Nilayile Theevandi")
• 2010 - Mirchi Music Award for Best Male Singer for "Pichai Pathiram" from the movie Naan Kadavul
• 2011 - Gandhi Darshan award.
• 2011 - International Malayalam film award