Lalgudi Gopala Iyer Jayaraman (17 September 1930 - 22 April 2013) was a celebrated violin maestro and visionary composer. Born to V. R. Gopala Iyer, he represented the fourth generation of family musicians, with their discipleship lineage tracing back to Saint Tyagaraja.

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Widely known as Lalgudi, he transformed the Carnatic concert stage with his distinctive aesthetic orientation, which came to be recognized as the Lalgudi bani. He was revered for his sensitive accompaniment and for his unparalleled brilliance as a solo performer. His technical mastery, melodic elegance and emotive depth set enduring benchmarks for contemporary and future musicians. His contributions as a composer, including varnams, tillanas and tuned poetry, were trailblazing and continue to shape the Carnatic music landscape today.

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As a guru, Lalgudi was known for his discipline and exacting standards. Under his meticulous guidance, he trained and inspired a generation of musicians who continue to carry forward the tradition of the Lalgudi bani.