“KJ Yesudas: Iconic Indian singer with 50K+ songs, numerous awards, and legendary contributions to music, leaving an indelible mark on the industry.”
Born : 10 January 1940 (age 83)
Place : Fort Kochi, Kingdom of Cochin
(present-day Kerala, India)
Alma mater : Swathi Thirunal College of Music, Thiruvananthapuram
Occupations : Singer ; composer ; music producer
Years active :1961–present
Spouse :
Prabha (m. 1970)
Children : 3, including Vijay Yesudas
Recorded Songs : 50,000+
Honours :
Padma Shri (1975)
Padma Bhushan (2002)
Padma Vibhushan (2017)
Musical career :
Genres : Indian classical music ; Playback singing Filmi
About
KJ Yesudas , born January 10, 1940, is an acclaimed Indian playback singer and musician known for Indian classical, devotional, and film songs. Regarded as an iconic singer in Indian music history and Kerala’s cultural symbol, Yesudas has recorded 50,000+ songs in languages like Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and more, spanning six decades.
Known as the “Celestial Singer,” Yesudas holds the record for singing 11 songs in different languages in a day. Apart from singing, he composed notable Malayalam film songs in the ’70s and ’80s.
He’s won eight National Awards for Best Male Playback Singer, five Filmfare Awards South, and 43 State Awards for Best Playback Singer from states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and West Bengal. The Government of India honored him with the Padma Shri (1975), Padma Bhushan (2002), and Padma Vibhushan (2017) for his artistic contributions.
Recognized with the J. C. Daniel Award (2005) by Kerala and the CNN-IBN Outstanding Achievement Award (2011) for his musical contributions, Yesudas’s talent shone when he sang 16 film songs in four South Indian languages in a single day at AVM Studio, Chennai, in 2006.
Early life
KJ Yesudas , born in Kochi, Kerala, belonged to a Latin Catholic Christian family. His father, a noted Malayalam classical musician and actor, influenced his early music. Yesudas, one of seven siblings, lost two—Pushpa and Babu—to illness, and Justin, the youngest, passed away in February 2020 under unclear circumstances at 62.
Under Kunjan Velu Bhagavathar, a friend of his father’s and a disciple of a renowned musician, Yesudas began his musical training at R. L. V. Music Academy. He later studied at Swathi Thirunal College of Music in Thiruvananthapuram but faced financial hurdles. He received guidance from several esteemed musicians, including Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar.
Yesudas wed Prabha Yesudas from a conservative Malankara Orthodox Christian family in Mallapally on February 1, 1970. In 2021, he celebrated 60 years as a playback singer.
Career
Debut and early career: 1960 s
KJ Yesudas debuted with “Jaathi Bhedam Matha Dwesham” in “Kalpadukal” (1962), written by Sree Narayana Guru. Collaborating with singers like P. Leela, K. P. Udayabhanu, and lyricists P. Bhaskaran and Nambiyath, he gained traction.
His breakthrough came in the film “Bharya” (1967) with music by G. Devarajan. He also worked with M. S. Baburaj in “Udhyogastha” (1967) and entered Tamil cinema with “Konjum Kumari.”
Yesudas received international acclaim performing in the Soviet Union in 1965. His partnerships with Salil and Prem Nazir marked the ’70s in Malayalam cinema. Notably, he became the youngest nominee to lead the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy in 1970.
Bollywood: 1970 s
KJ Yesudas transitioned to Bollywood in the early ’70s after a decade in South Indian cinema. His initial Hindi song was in “Jai Jawan Jai Kissan” (1971), but it was “Chhoti Si Baat” that brought him recognition, especially for “Jaaneman Jaaneman.” He collaborated with top actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Amol Palekar, and Jeetendra, working with renowned music directors such as Ravindra Jain, Bappi Lahiri, Khayyam, Raj Kamal, and Salil Chowdhury.
His standout Hindi contributions were in the 1976 film “Chitchor,” with music by Ravindra Jain.
In 1999, UNESCO honored Yesudas at the “Music for Peace” event in Paris. He diversified his music in 2001 with the album “Ahimsa,” exploring Sanskrit, Latin, and English in new-age and Carnatic styles. Yesudas showcased versatility by blending Arabic songs with Carnatic music in Middle Eastern concerts, promoting Indian music globally.
Launching ‘Music For Peace’ against terrorism in 2009 in Thiruvananthapuram, Yesudas led the ‘Shanthi Sangeetha Yatra,’ receiving the torch from Kavita Karkare, Hemant Karkare’s wife. He’s been a part of 36 editions of the Soorya Music festival, showcasing his musical prowess over the years.
Personal life
KJ Yesudas was married Prabha in 1970, and they have three sons: Vinod (b. 1977), Vijay (b. 1979), and Vishal (b. 1981). Vijay Yesudas, their second son, received multiple Kerala State Film Awards for Best Male Playback Singer.
In his youth, Yesudas was inspired by Sree Narayana Guru’s message of unity among humanity. Among musicians, he greatly admires Mohammed Rafi, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, and Balamurali Krishna.
Annually, on his birthday since 2000, Yesudas visits the Kollur Mookambika Temple in Karnataka to sing devotional songs to Saraswati Devi during a nine-day music festival. For his 70th birthday in 2010, he performed classical devotional songs alongside 70 singers at the temple.
Kattassery Joseph Yesudas has composed many songs dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, including the popular “Harivarasanam.” He actively advocated for peace during the Marad massacre in 2002. His rendition of “Harivarasanam” by G. Devarajan is the daily closing song at Sabarimala.
Awards and honours
KJ Yesudas has amassed a remarkable collection of awards for his outstanding contributions to music:
- National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer, a record 8 times by the Government of India.
- Kerala State Film Award for Best Singer, a record 25 times for best playback singer by the Government of Kerala.
- Tamil Nadu State Film Awards 5 times for best playback singer by the Government of Tamil Nadu.
- West Bengal State Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer by the Government of West Bengal (1 time).
- Andhra Pradesh State Film Awards 4 times for best playback singer by the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
- J. C. Daniel Award from the Government of Kerala.
- Honorary doctorates from Annamalai University, Kerala University, and MG University.
- Anandalok Best Male Playback Award once for the best playback singer.
- Sangeetha Kalasikhamani in 2002 by The Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai.
- Padmabhushan B. Sarojadevi National Award in 2015 by Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan, Bangalore.
- Karnataka Rajyotsava Award from the Government of Karnataka in 2017.
- Karnataka State Film Award in 1991 for Best Male Playback Singer in the film “Ramachari” for the song “Nammura Yuvarani.”
