Kottakkal Santhosh is a young and talented vocalist who has made his mark in the field of Kathakali music.
His style blends strong musical foundation with a singing approach perfectly suited to the rhythm and mood of Aattakatha (Kathakali plays). What sets Santhosh apart is his expressive rendering, precision in pronunciation, depth in voice, and adherence to the authentic traditions of Kathakali music.
He trained in Kathakali music under renowned gurus such as Kalamandalam Madambi Subramanian Namboodiri, Kottakkal Narayanan, Kottakkal Madhu, Kottakkal Suresh, and Vengeri Narayanan. His formal music education was completed at Kalamandalam and Kottakkal P.S.V. Natyasangham.
Santhosh also mastered Ashtapadi from Guruvayur Janardanan Nedungadi, and Carnatic music from Kalamandalam Sreedharan Namboodiri.
He is the recipient of several prestigious awards, including:
- Sreekrishna Memorial Award
- Venkidakrishna Bhagavathar Memorial Award
- Kalamandalam Unnikrishna Kurup Memorial Award
- Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri Memorial Award
- Junior Fellowship from the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi
- K.V. Kochaniyan Award (2023) by Tripunithura Kathakali Kendram
- Unnikrishnan Memorial Award
- FACT Padmanabhan Shashtipoorthi Award
- LSV Foundation Young Vocalist Award (2024) by Thrissur Kathakali Club
Santhosh is currently a teacher at Kottakkal P.S.V. Natyasangham. He is the son of Karakkurissi Pisharath Narayana Pisharody and G.P. Vasanthakumari. His wife is Preethi, and they have a son named Anand.