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S. Janaki (Telugu: ఎస్. జానకి; born April 23, 1938) is an Indian female playback singer. Renowned for her voice modulation abilities, she has sung in many Indian languages, most frequently in Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi.[1] Throughout a career spanning more than five decades, she has won four National Film Awards and 31 different State Film Awards.[2] Her association with singer S. P. Balasubramanyam and composer Ilaiyaraaja is among the most popular musical combinations in South India.[3] She is fondly better known as, "The Nightingale of the South".[4][5]

Contents [hide]
1 Early life
2 Singing career
3 Telugu Discography
4 Personal life
5 Major awards
5.1 State Awards
5.2 National Film Awards
5.3 Other awards
6 References
7 External links
8 Further reading


[edit] Early lifeS. Janaki was born into a Telugu Brahmin family in Pallapatla, Repalle village, in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.[6] She was interested in music from early age and started performing at the age of three. She learned music from Sree Paidiswamy, a Nadaswaram Vidwan.

[edit] Singing careerJanaki started singing at the age of 19.[7] She later moved to Chennai on the advice of her uncle Chandrashekar and joined AVM Studios as a singer. She started her career in movies by singing songs composed by T. Chalapati Rao in the Tamil movie Vidhiyin Vilayattu in 1957. Subsequently, she performed in the Telugu movie MLA.Janaki became most preferred female singer of south India from 1970s. Janaki went on to become one of the most favourite singers of Ilayaraja, and a phase ensued when she sang at least 2 to 3 songs per movie in all the four South Indian languages. She sang in almost every major South Indian movie in the 1980s and 1990s.From late 1970s,for more than two decades, she is the top female singer in south Indian films. She is having a record of maximum singing compared to any other female singer in the Malayalam & Kannada film industry and she also holds the record of singing the most difficult song in South Films i.e. shiva shiva ennada from the Kannada film Hemavathi.[8] She also penned many songs for Tamil and Telugu movies as she was extremely good in both the languages.[9] She has also sung in Hindi, Sinhalese, Bengali, Oriya, English, Sanskrit, Konkani, Tulu, Saurashtra, Baduga, Japanese and German.[10]

A devotee of Lord Krishna and Shirdi Sai Baba, she has also recorded Hindu devotional music on Meera.[10]

Her contemporaries include S.P.Balasubramanyam, P B Srinivas, Rajkumar, Ghantasala, T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela, Vani Jayaram, K J Yesudas, L R Eeswari, P. Jayachandran, P. Leela, K. S. Chithra, Uma Ramanan, Swarnalatha, Sujatha, Hariharan, Unni Krishnan, Srinivas, Unni Menon and Jency

[edit] Telugu DiscographyYear Movie Songs
1978 Padaharella Vayasu Sirimallepoovaa Sirimallepoovaa, Vayasanta Mudupugatti Vastantale Adukundaam, Kattukathalu Nenu Cheppi Navviste, Pantachelo Paalakanki Navvindi
1981 Aakali Rajyam Kanne Pillavani, Tu Hai Raja Mai Hu Rani
1982 Nireekshana Aakasham Enatido, Yamuna Enduku Nuvvu
1983 Sitara Vennello Godari Andam, Jilibili Palukula, Ku Ku Ku, Nee Gaanam
1983 Abhilasha Vela Paala Ledu, Banthi Chamanthi, Eureka!, Urakalai Godavari, Sande Podulakaada
1983 Saagara Sangamam Om Nama Sivaya, Mounamelanoyi, Baalakanamaya
1984 Challenge Induvadana, Manase Maikam, Sayamkalam, Om Shanthi, Shaama Eethippalu
1985 Preminchu Pelladu Ee Chaitra Veena
1985 Swathi Muthyam Suvvi Suvvi, Raama Kanavemira, Manasu Palike, Chinnari Ponnari Kittaya, Pattuseera Testanani
1986 Khaidi No. 786 Guvva Gorinka Tho, Chali Gaali Kottindammo, Raito Ato Ito, Atu Amalapuram
1987 Abhinandana Ade Neevu Ade Nenu, Chukkalanti Ammayi Chakkanaina Abbayi, Manchu Kurise Velalo, Rangulalo Kalavo
1990 Bobbili Raja Kanyakumari, Oddante Vinade, Balpam Patti
1990 Kondaveeti Donga Kolo Kollamma, Sri Anjaneyam, Tip Top Look
1991 Nirnayam Eppudepudani, Mila Mila
1991 Killer Piliche Kuhu Kuhu, Oh Rabbi Yendabba
1992 Alapana Aakanulalo, Kalise Prathi, Priyathama
1992 Chinnarayudu Bujji Pitta, Bulli Pitta
1998 Anthapuram Sooredu Poova
1999 Jodi Kadile Kalame

[edit] Personal lifeS. Janaki was married to V. Ramprasad. She is now settled in Chennai with her son Murali Krishna, who acted in a few films and has an audio business of his own, and his wife Uma Murali Krishna, a classical dancer (Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi); they have two daughters named Amruthavarshini and Apsara. She is known for her simplicity and down to earth behaviour.

She is also a close relative of Carnatic classical vocalist Garimella Balakrishna Prasad.[11]

[edit] Major awards[edit] State AwardsNandi Award for Best Female Playback Singer - 10 times
Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Female Playback - 7 times
Oriya State Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer - 1 time
Kerala State Film Award for Best Singer - 13 times
[edit] National Film Awards1977 - Best Female Playback Singer - (Song: "Senthoora Poove") 16 Vayathinile, Tamil Film
1981 - Best Female Playback Singer - (Song: "Ettumanoorambalathil") Oppol, Malayalam Film
1984 - Best Female Playback Singer - (Song: "Vennello godari andham") Sithara, Telugu Film
1992 - Best Female Playback Singer - (Song: "Inji Iduppazhagha") Devar