Manku Thampuran

Valiyamma Manku Thampuran (1914 – 21 July 2011) was an Indian musician from Kerala, who served as the first chairperson of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy. A student of Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, she was awarded the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy Fellowship for musicians in 1972. Manku Thampuran is also a recipient of the Sangeet Sabha Music Award. She also holds the distinction of being the first person to perform a live concert from Kerala in 1939 for the Madras Radio Station.