Dr. N. Rajam is known for playing which instrument?

Explanation

Dr. N. Rajam, born in 1938 in Chennai, is one of the most famous violinists of Hindustani classical music. She is known for developing the "gayaki ang" style of violin playing, in which the violin imitates the human voice.

• Rajam was born into a family of Carnatic musicians. Her father, A. Narayana Iyer, was a violinist, and her brother, T.N. Krishnan, became a famous Carnatic violinist. She began learning Carnatic violin as a child. Later, she moved to Hindustani music and became a disciple of the great vocalist Pandit Omkarnath Thakur, whom she accompanied on the violin for many years. Inspired by his singing, she developed a style of playing the violin that reproduces the expressions, slides (meends) and ornaments of Hindustani vocal music, which is called the gayaki ang (singing style). Her playing is known for its smoothness, emotional depth and closeness to the human voice. She taught for many years at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi, where she became the head of the music faculty, and she trained many students. Her daughter, Sangeeta Shankar, and her granddaughters, Ragini and Nandini Shankar, are also violinists. She received the Padma Shri (1984) and the Padma Bhushan (2004), as well as the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

The violin came to India with the Europeans in the 18th century. It was adapted to Carnatic music first and is now one of its most important instruments. In Hindustani music, it is used as a solo instrument by artists such as N. Rajam, V.G. Jog and Kala Ramnath.

Why not the other options?

Veena is linked with players such as S. Balachander and Jayanthi Kumaresh.

Sarangi is linked with players such as Ram Narayan and Sultan Khan.

Sitar is linked with players such as Ravi Shankar and Vilayat Khan.