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Dr. Shobha Raju is internationally acclaimed musician, talented writer and composer, and socially aware and participative individual.
She is the founder of “Annamacharya Bhavana Vahini”(ABV) in 1983 with the motto: “Eradication of Thought-Pollution through Divine Music”. This institute has trained over fifteen thousand students, most into professional singers, and is quickly growing towards her vision of a Music University where her students of music are also trained with additional benefits of Yoga, Meditation, Naturopathy and Philosophy to grow within and make an army of peace to create a world of love. With land contribution from the Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, this project now continues to take shape into an extended auditorium and a temple for Sri Annamacharya.
Dr. Shobha Raju is a recipient of several acclaimed awards in the field of art, culture and music. These include: “Annamayya Pada Kokila” by Telugu Association of North America; “Sankeertana Praveena” by Telugu Kala Samithi, Kuwait in 2000; Paidi Lakshmiah Merit Award; “Ugadi Puraskar” by Madras Telugu Academy; “Smt Ravoori Kanthamma Bharadwaja Award”; “ANR Swarna Kankanam”; “Abhinava Annamayya” by Telugu Association of North Texas; “Out Standing Woman Award” by NTR Trust; “Out Standing Woman Award” by Mahila Congress on the eve of Indira Gandhi’s birthday; amongst many more. Apart from her graduation from Sri Padmavathi Womens’ College of Tirupati, she has also been awarded an Honourary Doctorate from P.S. Telugu University; has been honored as “Asthana Vidushi” by the Dwaraka Tirumala Devasthanam, India; The India Cultural center & Temple, Memphis,TN,USA; nominated as a member on the South Zone Cultural Centre & South Central Zone Cultural Center in 1985; a member on the advisory panel of regional ICCR; and serving many years as Advisor, Annamacharya Project, TTD.
Whilst composing her own songs at the age of 4, to cutting her first gramophone record and becoming an All India Radio Artiste at the age of 16, to being awarded the prize at national level competitions at the age of 17, she has been constantly trained under various music masters such as Sri Nedunuri Krishna Murthy and Mrs. Rajyalakshmi in music, Mr. R.G.Narayana Raju for spirituality amongst many others. Dr. Shobha is the first recipient of TTD’s scholarship in 1976 to study and set a trend for the propagation of Annamacharya’s compositions, and was also chosen as the first exclusive artiste for the propagation of Annamacharya’s compositions in 1978. Her first audio album, “Venkateswara Geeta Malika” is globally popular among Telugu community.
Apart from serving as Project Officer for “Rama Rasa Vahini”, a music-based project in Endowments Dept, sponsored by Bhadrachalam Devasthanam ; authoring books like, “Srihari Padartham”, “Peda Tirumalayya Parichayam”; her various projects in the field of music and culture include: National Level Music Competitions to encourage youth, organization of the anniversaries of Annamacharya; discovering and publishing 39 compositions of Annamayya as the “Annamayya Gupta Sankeertanadhanam”; “Shanti Sankeertanam” to enlighten people against the acts of terrorism; “Nagara Sankeertana”, singing in processions for spiritual awareness; , stage concerts and presentation of “Sankeertanaushadham” (Therapeutic Music Programs) for the benefit of patients in the hospitals both at India and abroad; self-scripted musical feature, “Annamayya Katha”; presentation of “Upashamana Sankeertana” which is a special program for the relief of the prisoners; writing the story, script, screenplay, dialogues, music, and directing a tele-serial, “Sri Annamacharya”; application of “Swarayoga” which is a special program for the personality development; annual “Vaggeyakarotsavams” of 1983 celebrated in national level; etc amongst many others, all of which transcend the listeners to a blissful and peaceful world. She played a pivotal role in getting the Postal Dept of Govt. of India to release the postage stamp of Annamacharya in Annamayyapuram.
Her very popular unique & appealing style of rendering Annamacharya’s compositions, in Telugu and Hindi, added to her desire to serve the humanity through music with an energy that makes one feel she is born for the cause. She is, to all her disciples and followers, a living saint composer inspired in serving the society through divine, heavenly, devotional music through which she strives to create a peaceful world!
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Eradication of Thought-Pollution... through Divine Music
