From very young Hamsa Raghuvir grew up as a naturally gifted singer, her voice blending with different styles of music with ease – whether folk, film or classical. This was perhaps because of her early family background with a musical lineage going back to ten generations, in the family of the legendary vina maestro Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer. 

 

Her father being Karaikudi S. Subramanian, grandnephew and adopted son of Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer, and the founder of Brhaddhvani – Research and Training Centre for Musics of the World, Hamsa was exposed to the world music with opportunities to expand her musicianship through her participation in several workshops and seminars. While at Brhaddhvani, she interacted with dancers and theatre artistes; she imbibed the art of innovative teaching methods from her father; and she learned and performed world music compositions from the renowned visiting musicians and scholars from the US and Europe, gaining the ability and musicality to cross stylistic boundaries. 

 

Hamsa's perennial interest and involvement has been in Karnatak music through her exposure to the teachings and performances of legendary visiting Karnatak musicians at Brhaddhvani such as, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Dr. Sripada Pinakapani, Lalgudi G. Jayaraman, KV Narayanaswamy, TM Thyagarajan, S. Kalyanaraman, T. Viswanathan and Prof. Trichy Sankaran. She feels it is nothing short of the divine that she came under the care of Lalgudi G. Jayaraman, the musical phenomenon (1992-2002). She gave her debut in Karnatak vocal at Brhaddhvani in front of her guru and other Karnatak celebrities as part of the celebration ‘Lalgudi Year’ in 2003. Subsequently, she has performed in prestigious sabhas in Chennai. After moving to the US, she has performed several solo vocal concerts in Portland, Oregon, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara. She has had a supportive role at Shakti Dance Company, Los Angeles.

 

Hamsa's 'secret love' for film music made her a winner in the Ragamalika music competition in Jaya TV (2004); sing the title song for two television serials by Sri. K. Balachander (‘Kadavulukku Kobam Vandhadhu’ and ‘Jannal’); and sing for TV, radio ads and jingles.

She has given fund raising performances in California, joining the light music band Thillana.  She is a guest performer for special live shows of Ragamalika every year (Narada Gana Sabha). 

 

Married to Raghuvir Ramachandran and as a mother of two children, the budding singer Nirupama and Rishi Raghuvir, she enjoys teaching Karnatak vocal in the Bay area in California.