Veene Sheshanna (1852–1926) was a legendary musician and one of the foremost exponents of the Saraswati veena, a classical Indian string instrument. His exceptional talent and dedication to music earned him widespread acclaim and established him as a seminal figure in the Carnatic music tradition. Veene Sheshanna is credited with pioneering several technical innovations in veena playing, including the development of the modern fingering technique known as the "Mysore style." He introduced changes in the veena's construction and tuning, leading to improvements in its tonal quality and playability.

Veene Sheshanna was proficient not only in playing the Saraswati veena but also in vocal music and the violin. His expertise extended to both Carnatic and Hindustani classical music traditions. A dedicated teacher who imparted his knowledge of music to numerous disciples, including his own children, he played a significant role in the preservation and propagation of Carnatic music by training a new generation of musicians and promoting the art form through his performances and teachings.

Veene Sheshanna composed several musical compositions in both Kannada and Telugu languages, which are still performed today. His compositions reflect his deep devotion to the divine and his reverence for the musical heritage of South India. Veene Sheshanna's legacy as a musician, composer, and educator continues to be celebrated, and he is remembered as one of the greatest veena virtuosos in the history of Carnatic music.

The following compositions of Vainika Veena Seshanna were taught by Dr Manjula Surendra in this session. Notations are provided for all the songs.

Taramugadura - Dharmavathi - Adi - Veena Sheshanna
Tillana - DarbariKanada - Chathursra Triputa - Veena Sheshanna
Varnam - Saveri - Mishra Jampa - Veena Sheshanna

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