Archival of Ms Subbulakshmi s 1966 Historic United Nations 🇺🇳 concert #mssubbulakshmi #carnaticmusic #unitednations #purandaradasaru #india #newyork

The United Nations is set to honour legendary Carnatic singer MS Subbulakshmi. The UN Postal Administration will issue a stamp to mark Subbulakshmi’s 100th birth anniversary. But this commemoration also falls on the 50th anniversary of her memorable performance at the General Assembly in October 1966.

By the mid-1960s MS Subbulakshmi was already an iconic Carnatic star. In 1962, Lord Harewood who was the director of the famous Edinburgh festival had heard MS singing on the All India Radio in Delhi. Taken by her voice he flew to Madras to experience a live concert. He invited MS the following year to perform at the Edinburgh festival. He also invited the legendary Bharatanatyam dancer Balasaraswati along with MS for the same festival. Both their concerts received rave reviews across the press in London in 1963.

U Thant, the then UN Secretary General and Chef De Cabinet CV Narasimhan invited MS to sing at the UN which was commemorating the International Co-operation year dedicated to Pt Jawaharlal Nehru in 1965. But that year the Indo-Pakistan war broke out and MS was unable to go. The following year U Thant sent an invite to the MS, this time requesting her to sing for the delegates at the General Assembly hall in New York on United Nations Day which falls on October 23. Subbulakshmi and her husband Sadasivam gladly accepted this invite.

MS Subbulakshmi at the UN General Assembly in 1966

Sadasivam was a master of ceremonies. He made sure everything went smoothly. In planning the entire concert, minute-by-minute, he made a selection of songs that balanced both the pure Carnatic numbers and lighter pieces like Bhajans and so forth. Meanwhile Muthu Chetty in Kanchipuram got special sarees woven for MS and her two daughters Radha and Vijaya. There were rehearsed photo sessions and much more.

The deeply religious Sadasivams never took any major decisions without consulting the two godmen they worshipped all their lives. One was the Kanchi Paramacharya Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati (1894-1994), the 68th Jagadguru of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham and the other was Satya Sai Baba (1926 -2011) of Puttaparthi in Andhra. They promptly made a trip to Kanchipuram to take his blessings. The Paramacharya, a great scholar in Sanskrit and a polyglot had a prayer which he referred to as an anthem for universal friendship. The prayer goes:

“Maithreem Bhajatha , Akhila Hrujjethreem,

Atmavadeva paraanapi pashyatha

Yuddham thyajatha , Spardhaam Tyajata , thyajatha Pareshu akramamaakramanam

Jananee Pruthivee Kaamadughaastey

JanakO Devah Sakala Dayaaluh

Daamyata Datta Dayadhvam Janathaah

Sreyo Bhooyaath Sakala Janaanaam”

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