Legendary playback singer S. Janaki, fondly known as the “Nightingale of India,” passed away on Saturday evening at Apollo BGS Hospital in Mysuru. She was 88.
According to a statement issued by Apollo BGS Hospital, Janaki was admitted at 12:49 p.m. on July 11 in a critical condition. She was immediately evaluated and shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for advanced medical management. Despite intensive treatment and continuous monitoring by a multidisciplinary team, she suffered a cardiac arrest during the course of treatment and was declared dead at 7:30 p.m.
Janaki had been staying at the Mysuru home of her longtime admirer, Naveen, in N.R. Mohalla, with whom she shared a close bond spanning nearly two decades. Family friends say the relationship began after Naveen once invited the singer to his home. Since then, she had regularly travelled from Chennai to Mysuru, often staying with the family for extended periods as though it were her own home.
Such was the bond between Janaki and the family that Naveen named his furniture showroom on Bogadi Road after the legendary singer. A nearby farm owned by the family has been chosen as the venue for her last rites.
Sources close to the family said Janaki had recently sustained an injury to her leg while staying in Mysuru. The injury later developed into gangrene, and she had been undergoing treatment. As her health worsened, she was admitted to Apollo BGS Hospital, where she breathed her last despite the efforts of the medical team.
One of India’s most celebrated playback singers, S. Janaki recorded more than 48,000 songs across multiple Indian languages during a career spanning over six decades. Revered for her extraordinary vocal range, versatility, and emotional depth, she leaves behind a musical legacy that has touched generations of listeners.
Though the legendary singer is no more, her voice will continue to resonate through the thousands of songs she gifted to Indian cinema, ensuring that her legacy lives on for generations to come.
