Legendary playback singer S Janaki dies at 88, leaving over 40,000 songs
S Janaki, the iconic playback singer known as the 'nightingale of South India', died at a private hospital in Mysuru on Saturday evening due to age-related issues. She was 88.
The announcement was made by her granddaughter Apsara Vydyula on Instagram, who wrote: '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.'
Born in Pallapatla, a village near Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, Janaki began singing as a child, inspired by Lata Mangeshkar's songs on the radio. Her uncle, a theatre person, gave her opportunities to sing during play intervals. Tamil filmmaker B R Panthulu and music director T G Lingappa heard her and invited her to Chennai, where she recorded her debut song for the Tamil film 'Vidhiyin Vilayattu' in 1957. In her first year, she sang in six languages.
Over a career spanning nearly six decades, Janaki recorded more than 40,000 songs in multiple languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, Odia, and Bengali. She collaborated with legendary composers such as M S Viswanathan, Ilaiyaraaja, A R Rahman, and others. Her breakthrough came with three songs for Ilaiyaraaja's debut film 'Annakkili' (1976), propelling her to the top of the playback singing world.
Janaki won four National Film Awards for Best Female Playback Singer and numerous state honours. In 2013, she declined the Padma Bhushan, stating that the recognition came too late—she had been singing for 55 years—and that she deserved the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award, which Lata Mangeshkar had received.
Political leaders and film personalities paid tribute. Telangana Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla called her a 'golden voice' that touched millions of hearts. Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan said her voice expressed every human emotion with depth and grace. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu noted that she built an unparalleled musical legacy over six decades.
Janaki is survived by her family. Her husband V Ramprasad had supported her career throughout. Her ability to bring life to songs earned her critical acclaim and a lasting place in Indian music history.
