The first Indian classical musician to receive the Cultural Medallion, Ghanavenothan Retnam has advocated for Indian classical music for over 40 years. A master of the Indian classical flute, the bansuri, he spearheaded the establishment of Singapore’s first Carnatic flute ensemble in 2019.
His work as a music director at Bhaskar’s Arts Academy has also earned him international acclaim. He combined Indian classical and Balinese music traditions in his composition for Vinyaka, a dance production that premiered at the Bali Arts Festival in 2010. He also collaborated with renowned Southeast Asian composers to blend Indian classical and folk music, Javanese, Balinese and Kelantan music together for the 2023 dance-drama Radin Mas.
