K. J. Yesudas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids K. J. Yesudas
Yesudas in June 2011
Born	Kattassery Joseph Yesudas (1940-01-10) 10 January 1940 (age 85) Fort Kochi, Kingdom of Cochin, British India (present-day Kerala, India)
Other names	Dasettan, Ganagandharvan
Alma mater	Swathi Thirunal College of Music, Thiruvananthapuram
Occupation	Singer composer music producer
Years active	1961–present
Spouse(s)	Prabha ​ (m. 1970)​
Children	3, including Vijay Yesudas
Awards	Full list
Honours	Padma Shri (1975) Padma Bhushan (2002) Padma Vibhushan (2017)
Musical career
Genres	Indian classical music Playback singing Filmi
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Tharangni HMV
Signature

Kattassery Joseph Yesudas (born 10 January 1940) is a famous Indian playback singer and musician. He sings many types of songs, including Indian classical, devotional, and film songs. Many people think he is one of the greatest singers in the history of Indian music. He is also a cultural hero in Kerala.

Yesudas has recorded over 50,000 songs in his career, which has lasted more than sixty years. He sings in many Indian languages, like Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, and Bengali. He has also sung in Arabic, English, Latin, and Russian. People often call him Gaanagandharvan, which means "The Celestial Singer." He once sang 11 songs in different languages in just one day! He also composed many Malayalam film songs in the 1970s and 1980s.

Yesudas has won many awards. He won the National Award for Best Male Playback Singer eight times, which is more than anyone else. He also won the Filmfare Awards South five times and state awards for Best Playback Singer forty-three times. The Government of India gave him the Padma Shri in 1975, the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan (India's second-highest civilian award) in 2017. These awards were for his amazing contributions to the arts. In 2005, he received the J. C. Daniel Award, the highest honor from the Government of Kerala for Malayalam cinema. In 2011, he got the CNN-IBN outstanding achievement award for his music. In 2006, he sang 16 film songs in four South Indian languages on the same day.

Yesudas's Early Life and Music Start

K. J. Yesudas was born in Kochi, Kerala. He came from a Latin Catholic Christian family. His parents were Augustine Joseph and Elizabeth Joseph. His father was a well-known classical musician and stage actor. Yesudas was the second of seven children.

Yesudas started his music training at the R. L. V. Music Academy. He finished the Ganabooshanam course there. Later, he studied at Swathi Thirunal College of Music in Thiruvananthapuram. He learned from famous carnatic music teachers like K. R. Kumaraswamy Iyer. He could not finish his studies because his family had money problems. For a short time, he also learned music from Vechoor Harihara Subramania Iyer. After that, he got advanced training from Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar.

K. J. Yesudas married Prabha Yesudas on 1 February 1970. She came from a Malankara Orthodox Christian family. In 2021, Yesudas celebrated 60 years of singing as a playback singer.

Yesudas's Amazing Music Career

How Yesudas Started Singing (1960s)

Yesudas with poet and lyricist O. N. V. Kurup

Yesudas recorded his first popular song, Jaathi Bhedam Matha Dwesham, on 14 November 1961. This song was for the film Kalpadukal (1962). He felt very lucky to sing these lines, which were written by Sree Narayana Guru, a respected saint and social reformer. He sang with other popular singers of that time.

After these first few years, many music directors wanted him to sing for them. These included M. B. Sreenivasan, G. Devarajan, and M. S. Baburaj. This is how his career in playback singing began. He started singing for Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada movies.

He got his first big break with the hit Malayalam film Bharya (1962). In 1967, he sang popular songs for the film Udhyogastha. He also sang in Tamil for the movie Bommai. In 1965, the Soviet Union government invited him to perform in concerts. He even sang a Russian song on Radio Kazakhstan. In 1970, he became the head of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. He was the youngest person ever to hold that position.

Singing in Bollywood (1970s)

After singing for ten years in South Indian movies, Yesudas got a chance to sing in Bollywood (Hindi films) in the early 1970s. His first Hindi song was for the movie Jai Jawan Jai Kissan (1971). But the first movie with his song to be released was Chhoti Si Baat. This made him very popular for songs like "Jaaneman Jaaneman."

He has sung Hindi songs for many famous actors, including Amitabh Bachchan. He has also sung for many music directors like Ravindra Jain and Bappi Lahiri. Yesudas's most popular Hindi songs are from the 1976 movie Chitchor.

In 1999, UNESCO gave Yesudas an award for "Outstanding Achievements in Music and Peace." This was at a concert in Paris called "Music for Peace." In 2009, Yesudas started a music campaign against terrorism called 'Music For Peace'. He has performed many times at the Soorya Music festival.

Yesudas's Family and Beliefs

Yesudas married Prabha on 1 February 1970. They have three sons: Vinod, Vijay, and Vishal. Their second son, Vijay, is also a musician. Vijay has won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer multiple times.

Ram Nath Kovind presenting the Rajat Kamal Award to Yesudas

Yesudas was inspired by Sree Narayana Guru's message: "One religion and One God for all humanity." He looks up to other musicians like Mohammed Rafi and Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar.

Yesudas visits the Kollur Mookambika temple in Kollur, Karnataka, every year on his birthday. He sings devotional songs there to honor Saraswati devi, the Goddess of knowledge and music. This music festival started on his 60th birthday in 2000.

On 10 January 2010, he celebrated his 70th birthday at the Kollur Sri Mookambika Temple. He sang classical devotional songs with 70 other singers. All India Radio broadcast this special event. Yesudas has also sung many songs for Lord Ayyappa, including the famous "Harivarasanam." This devotional song is played every day at the Sabarimala temple.

Yesudas's Music School and Studio

In 1980, Yesudas started the Tharangini Studio in Thiruvananthapuram. In 1992, the studio moved to Chennai. Tharangini Studio was the first place in Kerala to release audio cassettes of Malayalam film songs in stereo. The studio still produces and presents Yesudas's music events around the world.

Yesudas also founded the Tharanganisari School of Music in 1975. This school teaches students different types of music. The Government of Kerala recognizes this school. It is located in Thiruvananthapuram. The school holds a free music appreciation class every month for everyone.

Awards and Special Honours

The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Padma Vibhushan Award to Dr. K.J. Yesudas, at the Civil Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on 13 April 2017

Yesudas has recorded over 50,000 songs and won many awards. These include the Padma Shri (1975), Padma Bhushan (2002), and Padma Vibhushan (2017). He also won eight National Awards for Best Playback Singer.

Here are some of his main awards:

• 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 by the Government of Kerala.
• Tamil Nadu State Film Awards 5 times by the Government of Tamil Nadu.
• West Bengal State Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer 1 time by the Government of West Bengal.
• Andhra Pradesh State Film Awards 4 times by the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
• J. C. Daniel Award from the Government of Kerala.
• Honorary doctorates from different universities.
• Anandalok Best Male Playback Award 1 time.
• Sangeetha Kalasikhamani, 2002 by The Indian Fine arts Society, Chennai.
• Padmabhushan B. Sarojadevi National Award (2015).
• Karnataka Rajyotsava Award from the Government of Karnataka in 2017.
• Karnataka State Film Award (1991) for Best Playback Singer Male.
• The Swaralaya Yesudas award is a special award for music artists. Yesudas himself presents these awards every January.

What Others Say About Yesudas

Many famous people have praised Yesudas. AR Rahman, a well-known music composer, said, "I'm greatly honoured... getting this award from my most favourite singer Mr Yesudas. He is one of my most favourite voices' ever in the world." He also said Yesudas's voice is "god given."

Ravindra Jain, a blind music director, once said that if he could ever see again, the first person he would want to see is Yesudas.

In 2003, a rich businessman named B. R. Shetty gave Yesudas his 1992 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit car. This happened after Shetty heard Yesudas sing at a concert. Shetty said he was touched by Yesudas's singing and his kind words about God.

Bappi Lahiri, another famous music director, said in an interview: "'Yesudas' voice is touched by God. He is a yogi, a mystic who lives for music. He takes your tunes to another level. And his note is perfect."

Yesudas in Movies

Acting Roles

Yesudas has also appeared in a few films as an actor.

Composing Music

Yesudas has also composed music for several films:

• Azhakulla Saleena (1973)
• Theekkanal (1976)
• Sanchari (1981)
• Abhinayam (1981)
• Poocha Sanyasi (1981)
• Ellaam Ayyappan (1988)

Yesudas's Music Albums

Learn More

In Spanish: Yesudas para niños

• Swaralaya Yesudas Award
• List of Carnatic singers
• Harivarasanam