Indian music is mourning the loss of one of its great voices. The legendary playback singer S. Janaki, also known as the Nightingale of South India, died at age 88 of a heart attack at Apollo Hospital in Mysuru.
Her death is the end of an amazing era in Indian cinema and music. S. Janaki became a cultural icon in a span of six decades, and her soulful voice, emotional depth, and musical versatility were among the things that mesmerised millions of people. She sang over 48,000 songs in over 20 languages and was one of the all-time greatest playback singers in Indian music.
Janaki’s health had deteriorated significantly in recent months, family members said. The loss of her son, Murali Krishna, in January this year hurt her deeply emotionally. The grief affected her health, and despite medical care, she was unable to recover fully.
Born on 23 April 1938 in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, S. Janaki rose from the very bottom of the mountain to become one of the most celebrated voices in the Indian film industry. She has become a household name in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and many other film industries, but the biggest contribution she has made to Kannada cinema is not recognised.
A voice that defined Kannada Cinema.
S. Janaki was very popular in Karnataka in the 1970s and 1980s. Her work with the great actor-singer Dr Rajkumar produced some of the most popular songs in the history of Kannada films. Long-lived melodies like "Ellelli Nodali Ninnanne Kanuve" are still cherished by music fans.
Her musical partnership with S. P. Balasubrahmanyam (SPB) also gave birth to many evergreen romantic songs which are still sung around the world today. When they did sing together, they had a great atmosphere of love and emotion in many of the best-known melodies in South Indian cinema.
A Rare Talent with Unmatched Vocal Versatility
One of S. Janaki’s greatest strengths was that she could change her voice to fit the character and the situation of a song. From a child’s innocence to a mature woman’s emotions when she sang playback singing, she produced a theatrical voice.
Her talent and ability earned her numerous honours throughout her career. She received four National Film Awards, 33 state film awards, honorary doctorates, the Kalaimamani Award from the Tamil Nadu government, the Rajyotsava Award from the Karnataka government, and the prestigious Padma Bhushan in 2013.
Funeral Arrangements in Mysuru
The final rites of S. Janaki will be conducted in Mysuru with full state honours on Sunday. The public will be allowed to pay their last respects at Maharaja College Grounds, where her body will be kept for the last viewing.
Later that evening, the cremation will take place at Naveen Farmhouse in Mysuru. Family members revealed that Janaki’s personal wish was to be laid to rest in the city she cherished deeply.
S. Janaki’s legacy is still alive in all the generations of people in all kinds of organisations, politicians, and people who have been inspired by her music, and her music will never die; her voice will always be in the hearts of generations to come.
