Handel Manuel

His son, Viju Manuel has been acknowledged as the best pianist and bass player in India and has performed for over forty years consistently for acclaimed Indian composer Ilaiyaraaja. Viju Manuel died in August 2015.

At the request of several choristers who had sung under Manuel, Sharada and Surender Schaffter founded the Handel Manuel Chorus in 2003. Surender is the younger brother of Handel Manuel. This non-denominational choir has thirty members and specializes mostly in church music of the Baroque and Classical periods. They have performed at Egmore Wesley, St George's Cathedral, the Emmanuel Methodist Church and St. Andrew's Church, Bangalore.

Handel Manuel taught as music teacher in C.S.I Bain's School towards the end of his career. Handel Manuel was the person who wrote and augmented the western musical notes, including the characteristic semi-tones, for the National Anthem of India. He was the Station Director Western Music of All India Radio, Madras which is known as A.I.R. and he was in charge of Children's program. His son is Vijay Manuel who played the keyboard for Ilayaraja, Film Music Composer and Director. Manuel died on 22 October 1994.

Handel Manuel (27 April 1918 – 22 October 1994) was an Indian pianist, organist, conductor, composer and accompanist. He helped to make western classical music popular in Chennai, the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Handel Manuel was born in Tuticorin, India, on 27 April 1918, and was named after the composer George Frideric Handel. He was educated at the Madras Christian College, but he did not study music there. He was a self-taught composer.