Tiruvidaimarudur Ramaswamy Mahalingam (6 November 1926 – 31 May 1986) affectionately known as Mali, was a flautist who revolutionised the style of flute-playing in Carnatic music.

Mali introduced new fingering techniques, and a grip on the flute that came to be known as the "parrot clutch or the cross-fingering style ", allowing greater control.

[5] Mali's techniques came into greater prominence under Dindigul SP Natarajan T.S.Sankaran, N. Ramani (who was his sister's son), B. N. Suresh, N. Kesi and have been carried forward by Mr.Viswanathan (son of Dindigul SP Natarajan) and students including Prapancham Sita Raman, L. Sundarachari (also known as L. Sundaram), B.G.

After this successful debut, his father put him on a hectic touring and performing schedule, leading to resentment on the boy's part.

[2] However, within a very short time, Mali was being accompanied by some of the best accompanists in the realm, including Chowdiah, Papa Venkataramaiah, Kumbakonam Azhagianambi Pillai, and Tanjavur Vaidyanatha Iyer.

[1] "When Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer was asked to list the great geniuses of Carnatic music, he thought of only three names: T.R.

In performance, Mali would sometimes leave off halfway through an idea, or play the same piece repeatedly, or simply breathe into the flute occasionally.

In some cases, he caused the audience to wait several hours past the scheduled concert time, then would play for a few minutes, and abruptly leave.

[10][11][12] Mali mentioned many times that he did not care for any praise or awards for his music, ideals that he upheld to the very end.

Shortly before his death, he was awarded India's highly prestigious Padma Bhushan for music in January 1986, which he flatly refused.

Mahalingam decided to return to India, and after a short time in Bangalore, he came down to Chennai and died of a cerebral haemorrhage in 1986 at the age of 59,[2] leaving behind him an indelible mark that changed the face of Carnatic music on the flute forever.