K J Yesudas

Known for his beutiful voice and unmatched mastery K J Yesudas, is one of the greatest playback singers of all time. Often referred to as “Gaanagandharvan” (The Celestial Singer), He has recorded more than 50,000 songs in a career spanning over six decades. He has sung Indian classical, devotional, and film songs in various Indian languages, including Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Tulu, Hindi, Odia, Bengali, and Marathi, as well as Arabic, English, Latin, and Russian.

One piece of advice I often give young singers, including my son Vijay, is to not get sidetracked from their primary duty of learning music. This is the age of marketing and hard sell. Everybody wants instant results. But no amount of hard sell will prop you up if you don’t hone your craft.

K J Yesudas

Yesudas has the record eight National Award for the Best Male Playback Singer. He also got five Filmfare Awards South, and the forty-three State Award for the Best Playback Singer. Yesudas also got numerous awards given by the state governments of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and West Bengal. He got the Padma Shri in 1975, the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2017. In 2005, he was honoured with the J. C. Daniel Award, the Kerala government’s highest honour.

Once during a concert, the maestro intoned: “I could not complete my Sangeetha Vidwan course because of health and financial problems. But I’m happy as I’ll ever be a student of music and learn more and more every day.”

Early Kife

Kattassery Joseph Yesudas was born on January 10, 1940, in Fort Kochi, Kerala. He was the second of seven children born to Augustine Joseph and Elizabeth Joseph. His father, Augustine, was a respected Malayalam classical musician and stage actor who became Yesudas’s first guru. His mother, Elizabeth, managed the household, raising Yesudas along with his elder sister Pushpa, younger brothers Antony, Babu, Mani, and Justin, and younger sister Jayamma. Yesudas was exposed to the arts from a young age, often accompanying his father to performances and rehearsals.

As a child, Yesudas was deeply influenced by his father’s passion for music and theater. Despite the family’s modest circumstances, Augustine ensured his children appreciated the arts. In his early years, Yesudas saw his family’s financial struggles. But his father’s dedication to music inspired him to pursue it seriously, even as the family faced challenges in supporting his formal education.

Musical Training Of Yesudas

Yesudas attended St. Sebastian’s High School in Cochin, where he stood out as a top singer during his school days. In 1957, he won first place in Carnatic vocal singing at the state-level school youth festival. He began his formal musical training at the R.L.V. Music Academy in Thripunithura, completing the Ganabooshanam course. He later graduated from the Sree Swathithirunal Music Academy in Thiruvananthapuram, training under renowned Carnatic musicians like K.R. Kumaraswamy Iyer, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, and Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar. Other mentors included Kunjuvelan Aasan, Augustine Joseph, Ramakutti Bagavathar, and Sivaraman Nayar, who shaped his understanding of classical music.

Financial constraints forced Yesudas to halt his formal studies at times, but his determination to master Carnatic music never wavered. His training under Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar was particularly transformative. Chembai’s rigorous approach helped Yesudas develop the discipline and vocal prowess that would later define his career. Yesudas admired Mohammed Rafi, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, and Balamurali Krishna as his musical role models, often citing their influence on his career.

Singing Career

Yesudas started his film singing career with Kalpadukal (1962), based on Sree Narayana Guru, the most respected saint-poet-social reformer of Kerala. He sang “Jaathi Bhedam Matha Dwesham” composed by M.B. Sreenivasan. A song written by none other than Sree Narayana Guru, Yesudas started his career with a blessing.

Yesudas sings thousands of songs that are still etched in the memories of music lovers like Indravallari, Yavanasundari, Ilavannur Madathile, Ashtamudikkayalile, Malini Nadiyil Kannadi Nokkum, Vrishchikappenne, Venchandralekha, Surumayezhuthiya Mizhikale, Janeman Janeman, Akale Akale, and Mounam Swaramay.

The Making of Legend

In Malayalam cinema, Yesudas’s collaboration with composer M.S. Baburaj for Udhyogastha (1967), directed by P. Venu, produced several hit songs that showcased his emotional depth. His work in the 1970s with the trio of Salil Chowdhury, Yesudas, and actor Prem Nazir became a hallmark of Malayalam cinema, delivering timeless melodies. In Tamil cinema, songs like “Then Sindhuthe Vaanam” from Ponnukku Thanga Manasu (1973) and “Poove Sempoove” from Solla Thudikuthu Manasu (1988) highlighted his versatility.

Yesudas also composed music for Malayalam films during the 1970s and 1980s, including Azhakulla Saleena (1973) and Thiruvabharanam (1973), demonstrating his multifaceted talent. His 2001 album Ahimsa, sung in Sanskrit, Latin, and English, blended new-age and Carnatic styles, reflecting his experimental side. In the Middle East, he gained a following for singing Arabic songs in the Carnatic style

Yesudas’s career was enriched by collaborations with some of India’s finest music directors and artists. His early work with M.B. Sreenivasan, G. Devarajan, and V. Dakshinamoorthy helped him establish a foothold in Malayalam cinema. His partnership with Salil Chowdhury in the 1970s produced some of the most memorable songs in South Indian cinema, blending classical influences with cinematic melodies.

Yesudas In Hindi Films

Yesudas’s first Hindi song was for the movie Jai Jawan Jai Kissan (1971). His first hit came in Basu Chaterjee’s “Chhoti si baat (1976), with whom he shared his birthday. The song was “Jaaneman Jaaneman Tere Do Nayan,” which became a huge hit.

His next film, “Chitchor (1976),” was a big musical hit. The film has evergreen songs like “Gori Tera Gaon Bada Pyara,” “Jab Deep Jale Aana,” & “Aaj Se Pehle, Aaj Se Zyada.” The success of the film established him in the Hindi music scene.
Yesudas goes on to sing many leading actors in Hindi cinema, including Amitabh Bachchan, Amol Palekar, Kamal Hassan, and Jeetendra. He also collaborated with top music directors including Ravindra Jain, Bappi Lahiri, Khayyam, Raj Kamal, and Salil Chowdhury.

His famous film albums include Swami (“Ka Karoon Sajni Aaye Na Balam”), Dada (“Dil Ke Tukde Tukde Karke”), Saajan Bina Suhagan (“Madhubana Khushboo Deta Hai” ), Toote Khilone (“Maana Ho Tum Behad Haseen”), Trishul (“Mohabbat Bade Kaam Ki Cheez Hai”), Sawan Ko Aane Do (“Chand Jaise Mukhde Pe”), Chashme Buddoor (“Kahan Se Aaye Badra”), Sadma (“Surmayi Ankhiyon Mein”), Daayraa (“Palkon Pe Chalte Chalte”), Hindustani (“Pyare Panchhi Ban mein”), & Daud (“O Bhavre”).

The Living Legend

His ability to adapt to diverse musical styles—classical, devotional, and cinematic—has made him a legend. One of his most iconic contributions is the devotional song Harivarasanam, sung for Lord Ayyappa at the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala. Recorded decades ago, this rendition is still played daily at the temple, a tradition that underscores his spiritual influence.

For over 30 years, Yesudas has visited the Kollur Mookambika Temple in Udupi, Karnataka, on his birthday to sing hymns for Goddess Saraswati, a tradition that began a nine-day music festival on his 60th birthday. He established the Swaralaya Yesudas Award in 2000, a prestigious honor for music artists, presented annually at the Gandharva Sandhya event in January.

Yesudas’s performances at the Soorya Music Festival, where he has sung 36 times, highlight his enduring connection with cultural platforms. Internationally, his participation in the 1999 UNESCO “Music for Peace” concert in Paris, alongside artists like Lionel Richie, Ray Charles, and Montserrat Caballé, underscored his role as a cultural ambassador for India.

Personal Life

Yesudas married Prabha on February 1, 1970, in Mallapally, Kerala, after meeting her at a concert in Thiruvananthapuram. Prabha, born into the Modayil Valiyaveetil family in Mallapally to Kurian Abraham and Ammini, was 18 when they met.

The couple has three sons: Vinod, Vijay, and Vishal. Vijay Yesudas has followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a successful playback singer. Yesudas’s commitment to music often took precedence, with Prabha noting that music was his “first wife,” a sentiment she and their children embraced.

Legacy

Yesudas’s career is studded with milestones. In 1970, at the age of 30, he was nominated to head the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy, becoming the youngest person to hold the position. In 1971, during the Indo-Pakistan War, he led a musical troupe across Kerala to raise funds for the Prime Minister’s National Defense Fund, reflecting his commitment to national causes. That same year, he became a senate member of the International Parliament for Safety and Peace, showcasing his influence beyond music.

A significant incident in his career was the 2009 launch of the “Shanthi Sangeetha Yatra,” a cross-country musical campaign against terrorism in Thiruvananthapuram, with the motto “Music for Peace.” Kavita Karkare, wife of slain officer Hemant Karkare, handed over the torch to Yesudas, symbolizing his role in promoting unity through music.

Deeply committed to a unified concept of God, he expresses, “The Almighty sings through me, and I’m just His instrument.” Indeed, his music possesses a captivating charm, capable of transporting listeners to a state of bliss—a testament to the divine essence he channels.

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K J Yesudas on IMDB