TTD Asthana Vidwan Garimella Balakrishna Prasad Departs at 76
A pioneer in rendering Annamacharya Sankeerthanas, his demise has left a deep void in the world of classical devotional music.
Tirupati: Renowned singer, composer and Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Asthana Vidwan Garimella Balakrishna Prasad passed away on Sunday evening at the age of 76 years following a cardiac arrest.
A pioneer in rendering Annamacharya Sankeerthanas, his demise has left a deep void in the world of classical devotional music.
A composer who has written over 400 Keerthanas and performed more than 5,000 concerts exclusively on Annamacharya’s works, Balakrishna Prasad’s contributions to music literature have been significant. His publications include Anjaneya Krithi Manimala, Sri Ganesh Krithi Manimala and Navagrahadi Krithi Manimala. He brought out 12 books for the TTD featuring Annamayya Keerthanas and published two volumes of Annamayya Sankeerthana Sanjeevi.
Balakrishna Prasad himself tuned over 1,000 Sankeerthanas, thereby preserving and propagating Annamacharya’s spiritual legacy. Despite his age, he remained active in his musical journey. He performed regularly at the Sahasra Deepalankara Seva in Tirumala on the third Friday of every month and at the Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Unjal Seva in Tiruchanur on the fourth Friday.
February 28, 2025 witnessed Garimella Balakrishna Prasad’s last performance, when he sang at the Yadadri Temple in Hyderabad.
As part of TTD’s two-year scholarship programme, he has trained over 50 students, ensuring that the rich tradition of Annamayya Sankeerthanas continues to flourish.
A recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Balakrishna Prasad is survived by his wife Radha and two sons — G.S. Pavana Kumar and G.V.N. Anila Kumar — who are currently in the United States, are expected to return by Monday night.
Former TTD trust board chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy visited Garimella’s residence in Tirupati to offer his condolences. “The maestro’s voice always added a divine essence to Annamacharya’s compositions. His loss will be profoundly felt,” he underlined.
CITU state vice president Kandarapu Murali paid tributes to the TTD Asthana Vidwan.
