Nightingale of South India, S Janaki, Dies at 88

Veteran playback singer S Janaki, widely celebrated as the Nightingale of South India, died last month at the age of 88 in Mysore. Janaki, also affectionately known as Janaki Amma, was a prolific artist who contributed significantly to Indian music over a career spanning more than six decades.

Born in 1938 in present-day Andhra Pradesh, Janaki began her playback singing career in 1957 with the Tamil film 'Vidhiyin Vilayattu'. She recorded songs in six languages within her debut year. Her professional journey continued until 2016, followed by a brief return to lending her voice in 2018.

Janaki's extensive accolades include four National Film Awards and 33 State Film Awards. In a notable instance in 2013, she declined the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honor, expressing that the Bharat Ratna was a more fitting recognition for her contributions.

Despite Telugu being her mother tongue, Janaki was fluent in Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi. Her husband, V Ramprasad, a staunch supporter of her career, passed away in 1997. She had no formal training in classical music but mastered the art through dedication and learning from gurus.