Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi, born on 16 September 1916, in Madurai, Madras Presidency, British India,
was an Indian Carnatic singer. She was the first musician ever to be
awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour and also the
first Indian musician to receive the Ramon Magsaysay award in 1974. She
was the first Indian to perform at the United Nations General Assembly in
1966.
