Mr. Retnam (b. 1918) was a prominent musician and a bul-bul-tara (Indian Banjo or Nagoya Harp) player. Born in Penang in 1918, he arrived in Singapore in 1929 and pursued his interest in Indian music. He popularized the use of the bul-bul-tara in Indian classical music in Singapore. Mr Retnam formed the Rama Bhajana Mandali at Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, and performed alongside veterans of Indian music such as Pandit M Ramalingam and MV Gurusamy. He was also a member of the Ramakrishna Sangeetha Sabha, and Singapore Carnatic Orchestra until 1984.
