Ravu Balasaraswathi To Be Honoured
She happens to be the first singer to record a song for HMV, besides being the first playback singer to record light music for All India Radio.
Hyderabad | 26th November 2011
Ravu Balasaraswathi Devi, the graceful grand old lady of the Telugu music industry, will be given the special Visishta Purasakaram by the Potti Sri Ramulu Telugu University.
The Award, which carries a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 and a citation, will be presented to the legendary first-generation singer on 2 December which is the 26th Foundation Day of the University.
Born in Venkatagiri in 1921, Ravu Balasaraswathi Devi has many firsts to her credit. She happens to be the first singer to record a song for HMV, besides being the first playback singer to record light music for All India Radio.
She was just a 4-year-old when she made her debut as a singer, and 6 years old when she recorded solo for HMV.
Known for her light music, Balasaraswathi, a multi-faceted personality, acted in early films in Telugu and Tamil, and later settled down as a singer after her marriage.
She began her acting career as a child artiste in the early 1930s, and scripted a golden chapter in the Telugu film industry by lending her voice (play back) for Kamala Kotnis in the film Bhagyalakshmi by Chittoot V Nagaiah.
She enthralled music lovers for over 3 generations, starting from 1940. Even after she retired, she was always ready to sing private numbers. (INN)
filed in: Entertainment, Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Music & Dance, Ravu Balasaraswathi Devi, Awards