S. Janaki
Gana Kokila (1938 - 2026)
Biography
Full Name: Sishta Sreeramamurthy Janaki
Born: April 23, 1938, Pallapatla, Repalle, Guntur.
Died: July 11, 2026, Mysore.
Parents: Sreeramamurthy (Teacher & Ayurvedic doctor) and Sathyavathi.
Background: Received musical training from a young age, notably under Nadaswaram Vidwan Paidiswamy.
Career Journey
Starting with the Tamil film 'Vidhiyin Vilayattu' in 1957, she sang over 50,000 songs in a 60-year career. She retired from singing in September 2016.
Music Direction: Composed music for the film 'Mouna Poratam', becoming the third woman music director.
Collaborations: Worked with legends like Ghantasala, S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, Ilaiyaraaja, K.J. Yesudas, and A.R. Rahman.
Vocal Diversity & Mimicry
She amazed the world by mixing mimicry into her songs, perfectly mimicking children, elderly people, and various characters to suit the song's emotion.
Multilingual Expert: Proficient in over 17 languages including Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, Sinhalese, Bengali, Japanese, and German.
Awards & Recognition
• 4 National Film Awards and 31 State Awards.
• Honorary Doctorate from the University of Mysore and the Kalaimamani Award from the Tamil Nadu Government.
• Padma Bhushan Refusal: In 2013, she declined the Padma Bhushan award given by the Government of India, protesting the lack of recognition for South Indian artists.
