Musician-turns-wildlife photographer to hold exhibition on Saturday and Sunday

Son of noted musician R.K. Srikantan, Ramakanth hails from a family of musicians and scholars from the village of Rudrapatna in Hassan district. While Ramakanth has rendered concerts across the country and abroad, he is also passionate about photography, particularly wildlife photography.

Well-known Carnatic musician R.S. Ramakanth is set to reveal his second passion this weekend. He is holding a solo exhibition of his wildlife photographs on December 7 and 8 at Devaraj Urs Gallery, Chitrakala Parishat. As many as 65 of his photographs will be on display.

Son of noted musician R.K. Srikantan, Ramakanth hails from a family of musicians and scholars from the village of Rudrapatna in Hassan district. While Ramakanth has rendered concerts across the country and abroad, he is also passionate about photography, particularly wildlife photography.

Ramakanth, speaking to The Hindu, said, “As a natural science student, I was attracted to nature. After completing my post-graduation in Botany from Karnatak University, Dharwad, I took teaching as a profession and retired as a senior lecturer in Biology after completing 30 years of service. My photographic journey began in 1985 when I was presented with a Canon AE1 programme camera by my father, which motivated me to join Youth Photographic Society and became its life member.”

He honed his photographic skills by interacting with some of the noted photographers such as C. Rajagopal, Hanumantha Rao and T.N.A. Perumal. He visited many famous nature parks across the country and abroad too.

Ramakanth says that through his photographs, he is “not only trying to kindle a sense of wonder towards nature and its denizens but also help in raising the public awareness about the importance of caring, protecting and conserving the wildlife and their natural habitat.”

The exhibition, the first solo show of Ramakanth, is open from 10 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.