**KAVALAM NARAYANA PANIKKAR** Shri Kalavam Narayam Panikkar is the Vice-Chairman, Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi. An emminent poet and playwright in Malayalam, he is known for his productions of the ancient Sanskrit plays with a contemporary sensibility. He is also a highly knowledgeable musicologist. Shri Panikkar is the recipient of the Padmabhushan award and the Sangeet Natak Akademi award. When we think of a musical system like Sopaanam we accept the universality involved in the generic term ‘music’ to understand the characteristics that constitute its particularity. The importance of ‘Deshi music” in contrast to the wider concept, ‘Maargi’ is of great significance in the study of Indian music. It is not possible for a serious student of music to disregard the indigenous regional systems developed through long, sustained, vital and organic creativity which gained their social legitimacy. Sopaanam happens to be one such category of artistic expressions which has deep roots in