Ranjani-Gayatri: 'How about some inclusivity in Music Academy board?'

Carnatic vocalist duo Ranjani and Gayatri on Monday (March 25) responded to The Madras Music Academy president N Murali’s criticism amid the controversy over the academy’s prestigious Sangeetha Kalanidhi award to reputed vocalist TM Krishna.

The duo had waged a war against The Music Academy when they declared they would not attend the conference to protest against Krishna being chosen for the award.

The Music Academy president Murali had hit out at Ranjani and Gayatri for their letter announcing their withdrawal from the annual Music Academy conference calling it "slanderous, vituperative, in poor taste and unbecoming of artistes".

Ranjani and Gayatri had withdrawn from the conference over Krishna’s participation.

On their X (Twitter) account, Ranjani and Gayatri said Murali’s statements in the press against them were “immoral and dishonest”.

“We’d like to clarify that our letter to you was only a notification of our withdrawal without any request for your decisions or actions. We did not post the letter on social media, but merely informed our fans on the same subject. Now we realise, this didn't help you manage the optics and we are sorry about it.

“With your verbose answer to questions we never raised, you are trying to build a convenient narrative and cast aspersions on us. Your statements to the press in this regard are immoral and dishonest,” they added.

They also asked Murali to “lead by example” and transform the academy that has “only brahmins”.

“We immensely respect this hallowed institution and it will be the happiest day for us and for millions of people to see star performers emerge from underprivileged communities and dominate this stage. We want to see the day when the TTK auditorium is filled up with a diverse inclusive crowd from all communities and religious minorities.

“This transformation should begin at the top. Kindly start with the entrenched Executive Committee consisting of only brahmins and royalty you have been heading for 2 decades. Unlike serious hardwork and the long journey it takes for artists to excel, this transformation is achievable instantly with a simple resolution and a bunch of resignations. Please consider leading by example, lest the world call it mere lip service and start branding you as a ‘bigoted, casteist coterie’,” they wrote.