Journey
Mridangam Artiste and multi-percussionist
A recipient of the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Yuva Puraskar from the Government of India, Akshay Anantapadmanabhan is a leading mridangam artist and founder of Nam Dhi Academy, a hybrid digital learning mridangam academy.
A prime disciple of the legendary guru Sri T.H. Subash Chandran, Akshay grounds his practice in the deep Tanjoire tradition of mridangam playing. He has performed with the past and present icons of Carnatic music, including Sri RK Srikantan, Smt. Sudha Raghunathan, Smt. Aruna Sairam, Sri Unnikrishnan, Sri TM Krishna, Smt. Ranjani & Smt. Gayatri, Lalgudi Sri. GJR Krishnan and Smt. Vijayakalshmi, Nithyashree Mahadevan and many more. Beyond the classical stage, his artistic footprint is truly global—from being a core member of viral fusion bands ‘The Thayir Sadam Project’ and ‘Carnatic 2.0 Reloaded,’ to performing at Burning Man 2025, bringing the mridangam to one of the world's most avant-garde stages.
An engineer turned artist, Akshay brings a unique analytical approach to rhythm. He is the inventor of a patent-pending modular mridangam. He is also the director of the Nam Dhi Ensemble, a contemporary Talavadya group featuring his advanced students in avant-garde percussion performances. Through Nam Dhi Academy, he makes this rich art form accessible, structured, and exciting for the next generation.
The Beginning
Akshay began his journey on the mridangam at the age of 5 in Shanmukhananda Hall, Mumbai with Sri. T.S. Nandhakumar. He moved to the US along with his family when he was 9 and ironically, that was when his true love and passion for the mridangam and began. He learned from Dr. Venkat Natarajan in NJ, who introduced Akshay to Guru Subash Chandran, which was the beginning of a two-decade long relationship. After completing his school education, undergraduate degree and Masters in Engineering from The Cooper Union New York City, Akshay moved to Chennai, India in 2012 which marked the beginning of his journey as a full-time musician.
Along with his musicianship, Akshay is also involved with research related to generative Carnatic rhythms and intelligent listening systems as well as a an educator of Indian percussion.
Awards & Fellowships
2024
Sangeeta Natak Akademi Yuva Puraskar
Awarded by SNA Delhi, from the government of India for the category of Carnatic Instrumental (Mridangam) for 2023.
2023
Discovery of the Spotless Mridangam
Awarded by the Puvanur Legaccy trust for the innovative discovery of the spotless mridangam.
2021
Lavanya Laya Nipuna
Awarded by Puvanur Legacy Trust at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (Main Hall), Chennai
2018
Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer Youth Excellence Award
Awarded by Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer Trust at Srinivasa Shastri Hall, Chennai
2015
North America Young Musician Award
Awarded by Sringeri Vidya Bharati Foundation (SVBF) | Stroudsburg, PA
2014
Dr. Vasantrao Deshpande Yuva Sangeet Pratiyogita Puraskar
Awarded by the South Central Zone Cultural Center, Nagpur
2013
IndianRaga Fellowship
Invited by IndianRaga to be a fellow and menotr (in 2014-15) for their first ever fellowships in North American.
Press
Feature articles, reviews and interviews about Akshay Anantapadmanabhan and his collaborations as a Carnatic mridangam artiste, multi-percussionist as well as a composer.
Konnakol Playhouse: Teaching Rhythm in a fun way
May 10, 2019
'Konnakol Playhouse', a production by The Thayir Sadam Project featuring over 1000 kids, featured by Times of India in this article. Read the full article by clicking on the button below.
Educator & Founder
Passionate about making Carnatic rhythm accessible globally, Akshay founded Nam Dhi Academy. He offers a dual approach to learning: a hybrid training program for US-born students that combines online lessons with in-person intensive workshops and a comprehensive Self-Paced Mridangam Course for global learners.
Innovation & Percussion Technology
Akshay is redefining the boundaries of the traditional instrument through engineering. He is the inventor of the Patent-Pending Modular Mridangam, a design that completely solves travel logistics for global artists. He also pioneered the world’s first Stand-Up Mridangam Stand, liberating the percussionist from the seated posture and enabling a new vertical performance dynamic. His acoustic research led to the "Spotless Mridangam" discovery, a breakthrough method that enhances tonal clarity and instrument longevity.
Global Performance Highlights
Akshay's rhythmic voice has resonated across major international platforms (some of the major iconic moments):
-
Cultural Landmarks: NMACC (Mumbai), Esplanade (Singapore), Théâtre du Soleil (Paris), Harris Theatre (Chicago), Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC), The Music Academy (Chennai), Narada Gana Sabha (Chennai), Museum Theatre (Chennai),
-
Festivals & Fusion: Burning Man 2025 (Nevada), Chicago Wold Music Festival, Ragas Live Festival (NYC), Cornelia St. Cafe (NYC).
-
International Tours: Extensive performances across the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, and the UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi), France, USA, Canada, India, Singapore
Projects, Collaborations & Bands
Reimagine
An avant-garde production focused on exploring Indian rhythms in unique perspectives using ideas of Indian cultures. The production showcases a combination of solo as well as audience interactive pieces using mridangam, kanjira, konnakol, cajon and bharathanatyam. Featured and initiated with the support of NJ Council of the Arts and acclaimed as the "gateway to Indian rhythm."
Mridangam Solo Concert
In an effort to take South Indian percussion to the world, Akshay has been striving to reach audiences through different mediums. He has created several mridangam solo projects and has performed repertoires showcasing the mridangam and its sounds through solo concerts. Using inspirations from his diverse cultural background from the US as well as India, Akshay has developed his own voice as a soloist. He has given live performances in Abu Dhabi and in many parts of North America. Defined by technicality and creativity, Akshay is constantly looking to expand the the awareness and potential of the mridangam across the globe.
The Thayir Sadam Project
The Thayir Sadam Project is a band that creates a blend of Indian classical, electronic and world music.
Formed in 2018 by Bindu Subramaniam, Ambi Subramaniam, Mahesh Raghavan and Akshay Anantapadmanabhan, they are known for their engaging performances, and their ability to seamlessly weave elements of traditional and modern music styles. In addition to live performances, they conduct workshops for children, design interactive sessions for professionals and write songs/anthems for corporates. They have conducted workshops with over 5000 school children so far, teaching them global music and promoting social initiatives.