M. L. Vasanthakumari

Born into a family of singers, this supreme classical Indian carnatic vocalist was eventually known as MLV, an acronym standing for melody, laya, and vidwat, three essential components of her, and hopefully anyone else's, music. (Loosely translated, that's melody, rhythmic variation, and depth of feeling.) She was one of a select triad of female vocalists who pushed the envelope in a male-dominated culture, not only earning the right to perform on concert stages instead of only at private parties, but also being allowed to develop and demonstrate the ability to perform extende...