S Janaki Demise: Legendary singer passes away at age of 88 in Mysuru; Granddaughter pens emotional note

Trigger Warning: This article mentions someone’s demise, which could be triggering to some. Reader's discretion is advised.

S. Janaki, the Nightingale of South India, passed away on July 11, 2026, at the age of 88. The legendary singer, whose iconic voice continues to resonate through timeless songs across South Indian languages, was confirmed to have passed away by her granddaughter, Apsara Vydyula, who shared the news in an emotional note.

The legendary singer had passed away due to age-related ailments in Mysuru, Karnataka.

S Janaki passes away at 88

Taking to social media, Apsara Vydyula wrote, "Dear everyone, It is with profound sadness that I share the passing of my beloved grandmother and legendary singer, Smt. S. Janaki. She left us peacefully, surrounded by the love of her family. While our hearts are heavy, we are also filled with gratitude for the extraordinary life she lived and the immeasurable joy she brought to millions through her timeless music."

She further wrote, "To the world, she was an iconic voice whose songs became part of countless memories. To us, she was a loving grandmother whose warmth, humility, kindness, and grace will remain with us forever."

Here’s the post:

In the concluding part of her note, Apsara requested privacy for the family as they grieve and come to terms with their loss. She also expressed gratitude for the love, prayers, and understanding extended to them.

As the film industry mourns the loss of S. Janaki, several celebrities have taken to social media to express their condolences. Rajinikanth wrote, "May the soul of Janaki Amma, whose honey-sweet voice brought joy to generations of people, rest in peace."

Kamal Haasan wrote, "Your songs will continue to echo forever. Where will I find that love now, Amma? Many will carry a sorrow that cannot be set aside. My heartfelt condolences to them all."

For those unaware, S. Janaki was an Indian playback singer widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential voices in the history of Indian music. She began her playback singing career with the Tamil film Vidhiyin Vilayattu (1957) at the age of 19 and went on to record songs in several languages, including Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Sanskrit, Odia, Tulu, Urdu, Punjabi, Badaga, Bengali, Konkani, as well as English, Japanese, German, and Sinhala.

Over a career spanning six decades, S. Janaki recorded more than 48,000 songs across multiple languages. She retired from playback singing in 2016, although her final recorded work was featured in the 2018 film Pannadi.

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