Chinmaya M Rao

Early life

Though born to a farming family, Rao showed love for music and literature throughout his childhood. He received formal education in music from Shreemati of Sagar and completed his junior studies in Carnatic singing. He joined a BBM course in Shimoga and became a disciple of Vidwan H.S. Nagaraj. He completed his senior studies in Carnatic vocal music. Soon after, he was admitted into Mysore University to pursue his MBA. He continued his music studies under Vidwan Mysore Nandakumar and Vidwan Bangalore K.G. Ramaswamy and later with Vidwan Hosahalli Ananta. He completed a master's degree in Carnatic Classical Music ( M.MUSIC) from Mysore University.

Music Director

Chinmaya was disgusted by the mechanical life of Bangalore, and he returned home to farm. He became a music director and lyricist as well as a music composer and singer. He released An Ineffable Soul Omkara Roopini in 2004 for Lahari Recording Company.

Chinmaya wished to use Fyaz Kahn’s Sarangi music as his background score for his first album. He uses original instruments in his music instead of digitally synthesized sounds.

As a music director Chinmaya worked on more than 25 albums. Musicians such as SP Balasubramanyam (S.P.B.), Udit Narayan, Unnikrishnan, Madhu Balakrishnan, Rajesh Krishnan, Gurukiran, Vijayprakash, Puttur Narasimha Nayak, Rameshchandra, Ajay Wariyar, M.D. Pallavi, Anuradha Sriram, Anuradha Paudwal, Anuradha Bhat have worked with him. Renowned playback singer Dr. S.P.B. has sung in six albums. Chinmaya's devotional albums such as Bhakti Abhisheka, Sharanam Ayappa, Sri Gururaya are often used in TV serials. Chinmaya owns a small recording studio at his residence in Honagodu where he recorded Sowndarya Lahari. Successful albums include Chinmaya's first light music audio album, Bhavapayana and Bannada Teru with lyrics by Deepak Sagar. Lahari released a Chinmaya-composed album, titled Bhakti Vandana and later as Dhashakshetra Vibhava. Chinmaya has composed music for Kannada novelist Na. D’Souza’s Bannada Chitte, a collection of children's poems.

Singer

Popular Kannada director and cinematographer, Ashok Kashyap, gave an opportunity to Chinmaya to sing the title song for his serial Preetiyindha. The track was sung by many popular artists, but Kashyap retained Chinmaya’s voice. After that Chinmaya became a playback singer. He has sung songs for most of the CDs that he directed and sang with high profile singers such as SP Balasubramanyam (S.P.B.), Rajesh Krishnan, Vijayprakash and Vani Jairam on the album Guru Darshana in 2011.

Film music director

Apart from showing dexterity as a composer, Chinmaya made an entry into film music direction in 16 January 2013, by directing music for a film ‘Agamya’ in Kannada. Udit Narayan was astonished and appreciated Chinmaya for his unique composition.

Writer

His first anthology of poems Vishwachetana was published in 2006. Popular Kannada poet Nissar Ahamed released the book at Akhila Bharatha Kannada Sahitya Sammelana held at Shimoga. Another one of Chinmaya’s creations is 121 short sayings on Govu originally in Kannada by name. Maathegaagi Maathugalu was translated into English under the name World of Words for the mother of World by Gowrishankar S.C. These books were released by His Holiness Srimad Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swamiji in 2007 at Vishwa Gou Sammelana held at Ramachandrapur Mutt, Hosanagara.

In 2011, he became a regular writer to the local and state level newspaper on different topics. His Taaregal Kurithu Manasare and 108 short poems Hanipravaaha was released by Sadhana Prakashana. The back notes for Hanipravaha was written by Ravi Belagere, Hamsalekha and Roopa Iyar. Another two books Kalegondu Kannadi and Sumne Ondisthu were to be released soon.

Social Work

Chinmaya started an NGO named Kannada Times Media World in 2013 that was inaugurated through Kannada Wikipedia Workshop. This workshop covered authoring Wikipedia articles.

Selected works

1. VISHWA CHETANA-Published by KANNADA SAAHITYA PARISHATH, BANGALORE-2006
2. Maathegaagi Maatugalu-Published by MANASWINI PRAKAASHANA, HONAGODU-2007
3. World of words for the mother of world (In English)-Published by MANASWINI PRAKAASHANA, HONAGODU-2007
4. HANIPRAVAAHA-Collection of 208 Short poems-Published By SAADHANA PRAKASHANA, BANGALORE-2012
5. TAAREGALA KURITU MANASAARE-About Big screen and Small screen Artists- Published By SAADHANA PRAKASHANA, BANGALORE-2012
6. KALEGONDU KANNADI- Published writings on Performing Arts- Published By SUNDARA PRAKASHANA, BANGALORE-2013