Veteran Playback Singer S Janaki Dies At 88, Granddaughter Confirms Seeking Privacy To Grieve Loss

Veteran

playback singer S Janaki died at the age of 88. Having sung over 20,000 songs in various languages, she was one of India's most celebrated playback singers, who was known for her versatility. The news of her demise was confirmed by her granddaughter, Apsara Vydyula, in an Instagram post. She further sought privacy to cope with the loss. Throughout her illustrious career, Janaki sung songs in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Odia, Bengali, Tulu and many other languages. Further details on the cause of death and the funeral were not revealed.

S Janaki dies

In an official statement confirming Janaki’s death, Apsara said the veteran singer passed away peacefully ‘surrounded by the love of her family’. She added, “While our hearts are heavy, we are also filled with gratitude for the extraordinary life she lived and the immeasurable joy she brought to millions through her timeless music.”

S Janaki's granddaughter issues statement

Apsara further wrote, “To the world, she was an iconic voice whose songs became part of countless memories. To us, she was a loving grandmother whose warmth, humility, kindness, and grace will remain with us forever. We kindly request that you respect our family’s privacy during this difficult time as we grieve and come to terms with this loss.”

Who was S Janaki?

Born on April 23, 1938, in Pallapatla, near Repalle in present-day Andhra Pradesh, Janaki received formal training in Carnatic music before moving to Chennai, where she began her playback singing career in the late 1950s. Her breakthrough came with the Tamil song Singara Velane Deva from the 1962 film Konjum Salangai, composed by S. M. Subbaiah Naidu. Throughout her career, Janaki collaborated with many of India's greatest composers, including M. S. Viswanathan, Ilaiyaraaja, K. V. Mahadevan, Ramesh Naidu, Rajan–Nagendra, Hamsalekha, A. R. Rahman, and M. M. Keeravani. She also sang alongside legendary singers such as S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. J. Yesudas, P. B. Sreenivas, P. Susheela, and K. S. Chithra.Janaki was honoured with four National Film Awards for Best Female Playback Singer, numerous state government awards from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, and several lifetime achievement honours. In 2013, she declined the Padma Bhushan, expressing that the recognition had come too late in her career and highlighting what she felt was an imbalance in the way artists from South India were honoured. In the 2010s, Janaki announced her retirement from playback singing.