K.U. Jayachandra Rao

K.U. Jayachandra Rao (born 19 September 1970) is a distinguished Carnatic mridangam exponent known for his Gayaki style of playing and mastery of the Tanjavur Bani. He began learning mridangam at age five under Vidwan Trichur E.P. Narayan Pisharady and received advanced training under Palakkad T.R. Rajamani, son of the legendary Palakkad T.S. Mani Iyer. One of the rare left-hand mridangam players, he holds an M.Sc. in Bioscience but chose music as his calling, performing in over 20 countries at festivals in Switzerland, Poland, Scotland, and Malaysia. His father is renowned flautist Prof. K. Raghavendra Rao and his mother Vidushi K.R. Prema Rao is an accomplished violinist.