Mahamahopadhyaya Dr. Nookala Chinna Satyanarayana (4 August 1923 – 11 July 2013) was a Carnatic musician,[1] a classical vocalist,[2] musicologist, author and teacher, a great administrator and motivator.

He was a performer on All India Radio and Doordarshan who participated in Sangeeta Sammelans, outdoor broadcasts and national programmes innumerable times.

Nookala, when young, entered the traditional theatre and handled a few boy roles but classical music attracted him from the start.

Sri Kambhampati Akkaji Rao led him to Mangalampally Pattabhiramayya at Vijayawada, under whose guidance he remained for three years, after which he made his way to Vijayanagaram to learn violin under Prof. Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu garu.

Nookala sharpened his analytical approach, achieving a deeper understanding of the science and art of music and learnt to infuse the raga bhava in every note and phrase of the kriti.

Nookala was attracted by several musical greats but developed his own style of singing, never departing from classicism, yet expressing the beauty of 'raga' and the meaning of the 'kriti', with special emphasis on diction.

During his administrative career spans over four decades: he has held various posts and positions, including: Nookala was married to Sesha, daughter of Annapurna and Ayyalasomayajula Kameswar Rao, a 'Srividya' upasaka: they have seven children.

A reference book of the lakshanas or features of 250 ragas with examples in sanchari listing the compositions and viseshana prayogas in detail.