PM Modi leads global tributes after Indian singer S. Janaki dies aged 88

Indian playback singer S. Janaki, widely regarded as the 'Nightingale of the South,' has died at the age of 88. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi led global tributes to the veteran artist, whose career spanned six decades and defined the musical landscape of South Indian cinema. Janaki, born in 1938 in Andhra Pradesh, recorded more than 48,000 songs during her career. Her work spanned 17 languages, including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi. Prime Minister Modi described her passing as an irreparable loss to the world of music, noting her ability to capture diverse emotions through her vocal range. A decorated musical career The singer's professional journey began in 1957 with the Tamil film Vidhiyin Vilayattu . Over the following 60 years, she became one of the most prolific artists in Indian history. Her technical precision and ability to modulate her voice for different ages and characters earned her four National Film Awards and 33 separate state film awards across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. In 2013, Janaki gained further national attention when she declined the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honour. She stated at the time…