T. M. Krishna is one of the pre-eminent vocalists in the Carnatic tradition of India's classical music. His rigorous tutelage under the distinguished gurus, Seetharama Sarma and Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, has established him in the highest reaches of that time-honoured form. He sings with a musical veracity that goes back centuries but from a musical imagination that must roam free from the coils of mindless adherence and the traps of soulless innovation. His interests extend to public concerns and issues. He has both written and participated in socially responsible initiatives, including efforts to document and preserve classical music. He has provided guidance to a movement for cultural retrieval in the war-ravaged Northern Province of Sri Lanka. Through his initiative, Svanubhava (self-wrought experience), Krishna aims to kindle an interest among the young in music, dance and theatre. His first book, Voices Within, co-authored by Bombay Jayashri, was an illustrated work on Carnatic musicians. His latest book, A Southern Music, is a first-of-its-kind work on the Carnatic tradition.