Biography of Swarnalatha - Indian Cinema Play-back Singer

Name: SWARNALATHA

Date of Birth: 29th April 1973

Place of Birth: Chittur, Palakkad, Kerala

Date of Death: 12th September 2010 – At the age of 37 years

Place of Death: Chennai, Tamilnadu- Swarnalatha died due to Chronic- ‘Lungs Infection’

Father: K.C.Cherukkutty-A ‘Harmonium Player’

Mother: Kalyani

Marital Status: Unmarried

Education:

At Bhadravathi- Paper Town in Shimoga District, Karnataka

Singing Career of Swarnalatha:

Swarnalatha learned playing harmonium from his father, when she was in her teen age and got interest in singing.

In the year 1987, at the age of 14 years Swarnalatha started her singing / voice-dubbing career in Indian cinema.

Swarnalatha has sung about 7000 songs in a span of 23 years in the Indian Languages, namely, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam KannadaHindi Urdu and Bagada.

Swarnalatha’s voice was taken to ‘Bollywood’ by “Isai Puyal’ -AR Rahman.

Swarnalatha has sung many hit songs in Malayalam and other Indian languages also.

Swarnalatha’s first song is a duet- ‘Chinnanchiru Kilye Kannamma” sung by her along with the popular singer .K.J. Yesudass, in the music of -‘Mellisai Mannar’ (King of Melodious Music) – Mr.M.S.Viswanathan in the Tamil Movie- “Needhikku Thandanai”.

Swarnalatha has sung in many Tamil Hit Movies including the following :

‘Thalapathi’ and ‘Valli’ of ‘Super-star’ Rajnikanth,
‘Indian’ of ‘Ulaga Nayagan’ Kamal Hassan,
‘Minsara Kanavugal’ of Prabhu Deva,
‘Bombay’ directed by Manirathinam.

Swarnalatha has sung a number of sweet melodies and some non-melodies, including the following songs:

“Maalaiyil Yaro Manadhodu Pesa” in ‘Chatriyan’a sweet melody in the music of Ilayaraj and

“Mukkala Mukkabula” in ‘Kadhalan’, a non-melody in the music of AR Rahman

Awads Received by Swarnalatha:

Name of the Award(s) /Details of Song and Movie /Year:

The Best Female Play-back Singer -1991 / Song: “Povomaa Oorgolam Boologam Engengum”– Movie: ‘Chinnathmbi’, Starring ‘Ilaya Thilagam’ Prabhu and Kushboo in the music of ‘Isai Gnani’ Ilayaraja /1991
The Tamilnadu State’s Award for ‘The Best Female Play-back Singer’-1994 and The National Award for ‘The Best Female Play-back Singer’-1994 / “Poraale Ponnuthaayee” – Movie : ‘Karuthamma’ in the music of ‘Isai Puyal’-AR Rahman.
The Tamilnadu State Film Award-2000-The Best Female Play-back Singer-2000 / ”Evano Oruvan” in the Movie- ‘Alaipayuthe’ / 2000

Government Awards Received by Swarnalatha:-

Name of the Award /Government / year:

“Kalaimaamani”- For her Contributions to Tamil Music / ’Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram’/1994
“Nandi Award”-For her Contributions towards Telugu music /State Government of Andhra Pradesh / 1995

Other Recognitions:

The Song “ Raakkamma Kaiya Thattu” sung by Swarnalatha and S.P.Balasubramaniam, in the Tamil Movie ‘Thalapathi’ was among the songs listed in a ‘BBC World’s Top Ten Music Poll -2002.