RK Padmanabha to be honoured with Chowdiah Award 2026

He has 70 years of singing, 50 years on stage and 60 books, including five novels and four plays on music to his credit, and this is just a broad outline of vocalist RK Padmanabha’s accomplishments. Padmanabha has been selected for the Chowdiah Award 2026, which will be bestowed on him on November 15 during the Chowdiah Utsava and the Academy of Music Chowdiah Awards in the city.

“I treasure this recognition as I admire Chowdiah deeply. It is an honour to receive the Chowdiah Award as I never dreamt I would become a musician of such repute; it is just the grace of the Almighty,” says RK Padmanabha, affectionately referred to as RKP in music circles.

His modest outlook aside, the artiste has also been a teacher, author, sportsman and actor, apart from having a multitude of albums and awards to his credit. Padmanabha says music and Vedic studies were intrinsic to his upbringing at Rudrapatna.