K.J. Yesudas was born in Fort Kochi, Kerala, to Augustine Joseph and Elizabeth. His father, who was a well-known Malayalam classical musician and stage actor, was his first guru. Later he joined the Music Academy in Thrippunithura and underwent training. For a brief p
eriod, he was with Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, a maestro of Classical Music. He was scoffed at for being a Christian learning Carnatic music . He has learned Hindustani Music, also. His voice lends itself well to both Indian classical, devotional, and popular songs. He has recorded songs for most Indian languages except Assamese and Kashmiri.In his heyday, he was known as the Jim Reeves of South India. Fans term his voice as nothing short of "divine".Yesudas began his career in playback singing in Kollywood in the early 60's and by mid 70's he entered Bollywood. He has bagged seven National Film Awards for the best singer in the Indian film industry. In 2006 he sung 16 film songs in four South Indian languages on the same day at AVM Studio, Chennai.
Yesudas has performed in many major cities around the world. In his music concerts in theMiddle East he sings Arabic songs in the Carnatic style. He frequently dons the role of a cultural ambassador of India through his numerable performances abroad by promoting Indian Music. He is the only singer who has been accorded the title Asthana Gayakan (Official singer) of Kerala State. He has been awarded the Padma Sri (1973) and Padma Bhushan (2002).
In 1965, he was invited by the Soviet Union government to perform at music concerts in various cities in the USSR and also sang a Russian song over Radio Kazakhstan. In 1970 he was nominated to head the Sangeetha Nataka Academy of Kerala and he ended up being the youngest person ever to occupy that post. In 1971, Yesudas with his musical troupe travelled all over Kerala to raise funds for the Indian Prime Minister's National Defense Fund during the Indo-Pakistani War. He also became Senate member in the International Parliament for Safety and Peace . He has taken the words of Sree Narayana Guru, "One Religion, One Caste for all humans" to heart. On November 14, 1999, Yesudas was presented with an honorary award by UNESCO for "Outstanding Achievements in Music and Peace" at the "Music for Peace" event in Paris, a concert held to mark the dawn of the new millennium and whose attendees included artistes such as Lionel Richie, Ray Charles, Montserrat Caballé, and Zubin Mehta.
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Scholarship
Completed the Ganabooshanam course at R.L.V. Music Academy, Thripunithura, Cochin
Graduated from the Sree Swathithirunal Music Academy, Trivandrum
Trained under well-known musicians like K.R. Kumaraswamy (former principal of the Music College, Kochi), Kunjuvelan Aasan (a disciple of Nagaswera Vidwan Rajaratnam Pillai), Augustine Joseph, Ramakutti Bagavathar, Sivaraman Nayar, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar.
Family
Yesudas and his wife Prabha have three sons Vinod, Vijay, and Vishal.
He currently lives in Houston, Texas, U.S.A. and Kerala too
Scholarship
Completed the Ganabooshanam course at R.L.V. Music Academy, Thripunithura, Cochin
Graduated from the Sree Swathithirunal Music Academy, Trivandrum
Trained under well-known musicians like K.R. Kumaraswamy (former principal of the Music College, Kochi), Kunjuvelan Aasan (a disciple of Nagaswera Vidwan Rajaratnam Pillai), Augustine Joseph, Ramakutti Bagavathar, Sivaraman Nayar, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar.
Family
Yesudas and his wife Prabha have three sons Vinod, Vijay, and Vishal.
He currently lives in Houston, Texas, U.S.A. and Kerala too
Titles, Honours and Major Awards
Padma Bhushan by President of India in 2002.
Padma Sri by President of India in 1973.
Doctorate by Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu in 1989.
D.Litt by Kerala University, Kerala in 2003.
Asthana Gayakan (Official Singer) by Government of Kerala
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1992.
Asthana Vidwan (Official Teacher) by Udupi, Sringeri, and Raghavendra mutts.
Sangeetha Sagaram (Music Ocean) in 1989.
Sangeetha Chakravarthy (Music Emperor) in 1988 by Pallavi Narasimachary.
Sangeetha Raja (Music King) by Chembai in 1974.
Sangeetha Ratna (Music Jewel) by Lt. Governor of Pondicherry M.M. Lakhera.
Swathi Ratnam (Swathi Jewel).
Sapthagiri Sangeetha Vidwanmani in 2002.
Bhakti Sangita Geetha Sironmani in 2002.
Gaana Gandharva.
Geetanjali Award by The ex-president of India Neelam Sanjiva Reddy.
Sur Singar Samsad Award in 1976.
Kalaimamani Award by Government of Tamil Nadu.
Star of India Award by Lt. Governor of Pondicherry M.M. Lakhera.
National Citizens Award in 1994.
Padma Bhushan by President of India in 2002.
Padma Sri by President of India in 1973.
Doctorate by Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu in 1989.
D.Litt by Kerala University, Kerala in 2003.
Asthana Gayakan (Official Singer) by Government of Kerala
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1992.
Asthana Vidwan (Official Teacher) by Udupi, Sringeri, and Raghavendra mutts.
Sangeetha Sagaram (Music Ocean) in 1989.
Sangeetha Chakravarthy (Music Emperor) in 1988 by Pallavi Narasimachary.
Sangeetha Raja (Music King) by Chembai in 1974.
Sangeetha Ratna (Music Jewel) by Lt. Governor of Pondicherry M.M. Lakhera.
Swathi Ratnam (Swathi Jewel).
Sapthagiri Sangeetha Vidwanmani in 2002.
Bhakti Sangita Geetha Sironmani in 2002.
Gaana Gandharva.
Geetanjali Award by The ex-president of India Neelam Sanjiva Reddy.
Sur Singar Samsad Award in 1976.
Kalaimamani Award by Government of Tamil Nadu.
Star of India Award by Lt. Governor of Pondicherry M.M. Lakhera.
National Citizens Award in 1994.
Mar Gregorius awrd Governor RL Bhatia in 2006.
The Annual Latha Mangeshkar Award by Government of Madhya Pradesh in 1992.
Dr. Pinnamaneni and Seethadevi Foundation Award in 2000.
Senate member in the International Parliament for Safety and Peace, an organization incorporated in the United States.
An Honorary award for "Outstanding Achievements in Music and Peace" by UNESCO in 1999.
National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer seven times by the Government of India.
State Film Awards Twenty three times for the best Playback singer by the Government of Kerala.
State Film awards Eight times for the best Playback singer by the Government of Tamil Nadu.
State Film awards Five Times for the best Playback singer by the Government of Karnataka.
State Film awards Six times for the best Playback singer by the Government of Andra Pradesh.
State Film awards One time for the best Playback singer by the Government of West Bengal.
National Awards
Dr. Yesudas has won the national award seven times which is a record no singer has equalled, let alone surpassed.
1972, Film Name: Achanum Bappayum, Language: Malayalam, First line of the song: Manushyan mathangale
1973, Film Name: Gaayathri, Language: Malayalam, First line of the song: Padmatheerthame unaru
1976, Film Name: Chitchor, Language: Hindi, First line of the song: Gori thera gaon bada
1982, Film Name: Megha Sandesam, Language: Telugu, First line of the song: Aakasa desana
1987, Film Name: Unnikale Oru Kadha Parayam, Language: Malayalam, First line of the song: Unnikale oru kadha parayam
1991, Film Name: Bharatham, Language: Malayalam, First line of song: Rama kadha gaana layam
1993, Film Name: Sopanam, Language: Malayalam, First line of the song: Sopanam (title song)
Music Company
In 1980 Yesudas established the Tharangni Studio at Trivandrum. In 1992 the office and studio were moved to Chennai and the company was incorporated in the US in 1998. Tharangni Studio and Tharangni Records became a recording center in Kerala which, for the first time, brought out audio cassettes of Malayalam film songs in stereo. The record company also had a voice mixing studio in Chennai, Studio27. The studio continues to produce and present events of Yesudas both for film and Indian classical music concerts throughout the world.
Concerts by Dr. K. J. Yesudas
Albums by Dr. K. J. Yesudas
Albums by Dr. K. J. Yesudas
