She might be no more, but her voice continues to haunt scores of music lovers. And today, she would have celebrated her 46th birthday. Yes, we are talking about
Swarnalatha, one of the most cherished playback singers in the industry.
Fondly known as The Humming Queen of India, Swarnalatha was born in Chittur in Kerala, but her family moved to Chennai when she was a child so that she could pursue a career in music. She first sung for MS Viswanathan in the film
Neethikku Thandanai
, alongside KJ Yesudas, and soon, recorded with some of the biggest composers like
Ilaiyaraaja and
AR Rahman
. She’s not only a known name in the south industry, but also took Bollywood by storm, with her rendition of
Hai Rama
(Rangeela) and
Mukkala Mukkabala
(Humse Hai Muqabala) winning her accolades.
Swarnalatha has won several awards in her career spanning almost 22 years, including the National Award for Best Female Playback Singer for Porale Ponnuthayi from the film Karuththamma. She’s also the recipient of Kalaimamani and Nandi Award.
Even as wishes and tributes pour in on social media for Swarnalatha, with her fans remembering her through her soul-stirring songs, we can’t help but echo what composer Sean Roldan has to say – ‘This woman is a legend. She lives on in spirit!’
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