Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi (also known as M.S. Subbulakshmi; September 16, 1916 – December 11, 2004) was an Indian Carnatic singer from Madurai, Tamil Nadu. She was the first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour. She is the first Indian musician to receive the Ramon Magsaysay award, often considered Asia's Nobel Prize, in 1974 with the citation reading "Exacting purists acknowledge Srimati M. S. Read more on Last.fm