Legendary playback singer S. Janaki, fondly known as the “Nightingale of South India”, was laid to rest with full state honours in Mysuru on Sunday. She passed away on July 11 at the age of 88, bringing an end to a remarkable musical journey that spanned more than six decades.
Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysuru, said Janaki was admitted on July 11 at 12:49 pm in a critical condition and was immediately shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Despite intensive medical care and continuous monitoring by a multidisciplinary team, she suffered a cardiac arrest during treatment. Doctors initiated advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as per standard medical protocols, but she experienced multiple cardiac arrests and could not be revived. She was declared dead at 7:30 pm on July 11.
Following her demise, tributes poured in from across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, actors Rajinikanth, Vijay, Chiranjeevi, Kamal Haasan and several other celebrities remembered Janaki’s unparalleled contribution to Indian music and cinema, describing her voice as timeless and her legacy as everlasting.
The veteran singer’s mortal remains were taken in a funeral procession from the Maharaja College Grounds to the cremation site, where family members, film personalities, political leaders, fans and admirers gathered to pay their final respects.
In a career spanning more than 60 years, S. Janaki recorded over 40,000 songs in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi and several other Indian languages. She won four National Film Awards for Best Female Playback Singer and received numerous state honours, earning recognition as one of India’s greatest playback singers.
Veteran singer P. Susheela paid an emotional tribute in a recorded video message, saying, “There is no one who can match her. Unfortunately, we do not have singers of her calibre today. We were fortunate to have worked together. Tamil Nadu was blessed by your arrival. No one else could have rendered Singaravelane Deva the way she did. That song took her to the pinnacle of playback singing. May God grant her whatever she desired. I wish she is born again, but perhaps one lifetime is enough.”
With her passing, Indian cinema has lost one of its most iconic voices, but S. Janaki’s timeless songs will continue to resonate with generations of music lovers.
