Dr Kannan CS Warrier, director of the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment — Kerala Forest Research Institute, is up by 3.30 am every single day. He cycles about 10 kilometres across the picturesque, inexperienced Peechi in Thrissur district. “I cherish this time by myself. I enjoy the peace and quiet and this is when I compose my songs,” he says over the telephone.
For over 50 years, alongside his skilled commitments, Kannan has been a vibrant presence within the music scene, having composed and sung over 140 songs, 100 of that are on YouTube. “It is usually on my bicycle rides in the mornings that music comes to me. As soon as a tune occurs to me, I record it on the phone and then send the tune to my lyricist friends,” he says. Kannan has 191 tunes ready to be composed.
With over 30 years of expertise in forestry analysis (tree breeding, clonal forestry, tissue tradition and biodiversity conservation), he has quite a few achievements in his chosen area, together with the National Award of Excellence for Outstanding Research in Forestry by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education and the Rolla S Rao National Award for one of the best analysis on biodiversity conservation in India.
However, music is an equally essential a part of his life, says Kannan. He composed the music for the official theme track ‘Vananeeru’, for the Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department in 2025. The division’s theme track for the yr 2020, ‘Kadarivu’, was additionally composed by Kannan and sung by P Jayachandran. “The theme songs are the forest department’s attempt to engage with the public, and make them aware of the importance of forests. ‘Vananeeru’ celebrates the forest and its water sources,” he says.
Nature and forests are a continuing supply of inspiration and his songs span genres together with devotional, cinematic, gentle and semi-classical. He has introduced out ‘Dashapushpam’, a devotional album and ‘Lalitham’, a Carnatic-based album.
Kannan Warrier
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Special Arrangement
Kannan began singing on the age of seven, below the mentorship of his mom. When he was in Class VIII, he bought an opportunity to compose a track for the thirty fourth birthday celebrations of Mata Amritanandamayi.
Later, whereas he was doing his pre-degree, he carried out on the Republic Day Parade, successful third place in an orchestra for enjoying the electrical guitar. While he excelled in teachers, Kannan stored on proving his mettle in music as properly, turning into the ‘kalaprathibha’ for 5 years on the Kerala Agricultural University, the place he accomplished his commencement and put up commencement in forestry, each with a primary rank. Kannan can also be well-versed in taking part in the guitar, mridangam, harmonium, harmonica, and idakka.
He was the chief scientist on the Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Coimbatore, he holds a patent on Tree Meter Diameter Estimation utilizing Digital Images, which is a technique that helps in yield evaluation of forest plantations. He has to his credit score 316 analysis publications, together with his co-workers. One of his chief achievements embrace the discovering of three productive clones of the casuarina tree appropriate for salt-affected soil.
Music for Kannan isn’t just a calming interest, however a inventive pursuit. It solely takes him ten minutes to compose a track, he says. “Music is a part of my being. It relaxes me and the creative joy I get out of music is special. I hold it close to my heart,” he provides.
Published – April 07, 2025 10:42 pm IST
