Legendary singer S Janaki passes away at 88; nation pays tribute

Legendary playback singer S Janaki, fondly known as “Janaki Amma” and the “Nightingale of South India,” passed away at the age of 88 in Mysuru, Karnataka, on Saturday due to age-related ailments.
Her death prompted tributes from political leaders, film personalities and musicians across India, who remembered her as one of the greatest voices in Indian music history.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences, describing Janaki’s demise as a major loss to the world of music and culture.
Murmu said her extraordinary singing had enthralled generations, while Modi praised her ability to express every emotion through her versatile voice.
Born on April 23, 1938, in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, Janaki built a career spanning more than six decades.
She recorded over 48,000 songs in around 20 Indian languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, Bengali, Odia, Urdu and Punjabi. She also sang in foreign languages such as English, Japanese, German and Sinhala.
Janaki began her playback career with the Tamil film Vidhiyin Vilayattu in 1957 at the age of 19.
She became one of the most celebrated voices in South Indian cinema, with evergreen songs alongside legendary singers such as P B Srinivas, S P Balasubrahmanyam and Dr Rajkumar.
She received four National Film Awards and 33 state-level awards during her illustrious career.
She was also honoured with the Kalaimamani award, Rajyotsava Prashasti and an honorary doctorate from the University of Mysore. In 2013, she declined the Padma Bhushan, stating that the recognition came too late.
Kerala and Karnataka paid rich tributes to the singer, with actors Mohanlal, Mammootty and Manju Warrier among those mourning her passing.
Mohanlal called her “Bharat’s nightingale” and recalled that she had sung in his debut film Manjil Virinja Pookkal.
Musicians praised her humility, devotion and unmatched contribution to Indian film music.
Janaki was cremated with full state honours at her farmhouse in Kaniyanahundi, Mysuru.
Her granddaughter Apsara Vydyula performed the final rites, breaking traditional norms by carrying out the ceremony.
Thousands of fans and members of the film industry paid their final respects.
Leaders and artists said Janaki’s timeless melodies would continue to inspire generations and preserve her legacy as one of India’s greatest musical icons. (PTI)