AHIMSA : Neyveli S. Radhakrishna, Violin Started learning Carnatic music both violin and vocal at the age of eight. Won first prize for outstanding merit at the age of thirteen in an all India violin ompetition. Trained privately by renowned maestros Ramanathapuram M.N.Ganesa Pillai and Dr.M. Chandrasekaran in the tradition and nuances of Carnatic music. Though he has no family music back ground, by dint of hard work, perseverance, commitment and a strong will to carve a niche for himself in the music world, Radhakrishna has earned laurels as an accompanist to masters of south Indian vocal tradition and as a soloist. While extensively touring SriLanka, South Africa and all over Europe, he has assimilated local genres of music. He plays Indian classical, Asia and world fusion. His captivating style, unusual musical phrasing and penchant for improvisation are a connosieur's delight.     Photo: Christian Pleines The chance meeting with Matthias Muller opened new vistas in his musical journey. Muller, a Jazz guitarist having studied veena in Chennai, got a peep into the depth, dimension, charm and glory of Carnatic music. Muller and Radhakrishna played together for 2 to 3 hours and had fantastic rapport. It was as though they were playing together for years. Other western musicians who were tradition-bound could not reach out to the sphere of Radhakrishna's playing. He had to adjust with them. But Muller was a delight. With his strong roots in Western music and his knowledge of south Indian music through veena, the Eastern and Western musicians could meet, perform together and learn from each other constantly.   Photo: Christian Pleines   The first AHIMSA album recorded in a studio in Germany live with five musicians is called "Seven steps to liberty - Step one". Radhakrishna plays a five string violin tuning DADAD with harmonics ringing to the range of viola.