Bengaluru
oi-Swastika Sruti
It is one of the biggest loss to India, especially in the South Indian film industry as the legendary playback singer Jamuna Rani who passed away at the age of 88 on Thursday evening at her home in Bengaluru.
Legendary playback singer Jamuna Rani, known for thousands of songs in South Indian languages and Sinhala films, passed away in Bengaluru at age 88. Awarded the Kalaimamani in 1998, she began her career at seven and recorded over 6,000 tracks.
She had been suffering from age-related health issues for some time.
Known for her unique voice and remarkable versatility, Jamuna Rani entertained generations of music lovers with thousands of songs across multiple languages. Her death marks the end of an era in South Indian cinema, but her music will continue to inspire audiences for years to come.
A Musical Journey That Began at the Age of Seven
Jamuna Rani was born in Andhra Pradesh in 1938. Due to her extraordinary talent, she entered the film industry when she was just seven years old.
🎵 Veteran playback singer K. #JamunaRani passes away at 88
She recorded 6,000+ songs across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam & Sinhalese
Known for Kungumapoove Konjum Purave, sang for legends including MGR, Sivaji Ganesan & N.T. Rama Rao#NoboaTieneVisión #domunditv 変更希望 pic.twitter.com/CCvoccMmLS
— Daily Briefs (@Daily_Briefs_) July 31, 2026
She made her playback singing debut with the film ‘Thyagayya’, beginning a career that would span several decades.
During her lifetime, she recorded more than 6,000 songs in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam, earning admiration for her expressive voice and effortless singing style.
A Voice That Became a Favourite Across South India
One of the most notable talents of Jamuna Rani was her capacity to sing different types of songs. It did not matter whether it was lively club songs, folk songs, gypsy songs or sentimental songs; she used to make her presence felt in all her songs.
Her entry into the Tamil film industry took place in the film “Kalyani” released in 1952. Some of her most famous Telugu songs include “Sarada Sarada Cigarittu,” “Entha Takkari Vaadu Naraju,” “Kotu Bootu Veeda Bava Vachadaya,” and “Padapadave Vaiyari Gaalipatama.”
Her Talent Reached Beyond India
It must be noted that her popularity was not limited to India but she lent her voice to Sinhala films in Sri Lanka.
One of her best-known international works was the duet “Jeevan Mee Gamana Ramsaae” with legendary singer A.M. Raja for the Sinhala film ‘Sada Sulang’. The song is still remembered as a classic in Sri Lankan music.
Worked With the Biggest Names in Music
Throughout her career, Jamuna Rani collaborated with some of the greatest singers and music composers in South Indian cinema.
She shared the microphone with celebrated artists such as T.M. Soundararajan, P.B. Srinivas, P. Susheela, S. Janaki, L.R. Easwari, Jikki and several others.
She also worked under renowned composers including Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy, K.V. Mahadevan, T.R. Papa, V. Kumar, G.K. Venkatesh and Ilaiyaraaja, contributing to countless memorable songs.
Honoured for Her Outstanding Contribution
Jamuna Rani received several prestigious honours in recognition of her contribution to Indian music.
The Tamil Nadu government honoured her with the Kalaimamani Award in 1998, followed by the Arignar Anna Award in 2002 for her remarkable achievements in playback singing.
These awards reflected the immense respect she earned from the music fraternity and audiences alike.
