On October 10th, 2012, the Fulbright-Nehru Visiting Lecturer Program 2011 – 2012 alumnus Mahalingam Umayalpuram, played the Mridangam at FICCI Auditorium in Delhi as part of the Festival of Music, Dance and Drama organized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. Sangeet Natak Akademi is the national level academy for the performing arts set up by the Government of India. Popularly known as Mali, Mahalingam was accompanying Akademi Award Winner, Mohan Chandrasekaran on the Violin. He enthralled the audience, a gathering of noted musicians, performance artists and music lovers from all over India, in his dynamic hour long performance, excelling in rhythm and style. The Mridangam, a percussion instrument is the primary rhythmic accompaniment in a Carnatic music ensemble. Mali is also a radio artist.

During his Fulbright-Nehru Fellowship, Mahalingam taught the Art of Improvisation on the Mridangam, at Harvard University.

Mali (extreme left) performing at the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards Festival (Note: Permission received from Sangeet Natak Akademi to print this photo)