Raavu Balasaraswathi Devi (born August 28, 1928) is a celebrated Indian singer and actress who made significant contributions to Telugu and Tamil cinema from the 1930s to the 1960s. Hailing from Venkatagiri, a town now located in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district, she holds the remarkable distinction of being the first light music singer on All India Radio and the first playback singer in Telugu cinema [1].
Balasaraswathi Devi embarked on her artistic journey at a very young age, appearing as a child actor and singer in films such as Sati Anasuya and Bhakta Dhruva in 1936. Her exceptional talent quickly garnered attention, leading her to work in Tamil films including Bhaktha Kuchela, Balayogini, and Thiruneelakantar [1, 3].
A pivotal moment in her career, and indeed in the history of Telugu cinema, came in 1943 when she recorded “Thinne Meedha Sinnoda” for the film Bhagya Lakshmi. This song marked the first instance of playback singing in Telugu cinema, solidifying her legacy as a trailblazer [1, 2]. Throughout her career, she collaborated with numerous esteemed music composers and performed memorable duets with prominent playback singers like Ghantasala and A. M. Rajah [1]. Her extensive filmography as a playback singer spans both Telugu and Tamil languages, leaving behind a rich musical heritage [1, 4].
She was married to Raja Rao Pradyumna Krishna Mahipati Suryarao Bahadur of Kolanka Zamindari. After her husband’s passing, she resided with her son in her grandson’s home in Secunderabad [1, 2]. Her contributions to Indian cinema and music were recognized with the prestigious Ramineni Foundation Award [1].
Citations:
- R. Balasaraswathi Devi – Wikipedia
- రావు బాలసరస్వతీ దేవి – వికీపీడియా (Telugu Wikipedia)
- ஆர். பாலசரஸ்வதி – தமிழ் விக்கிப்பீடியா (Tamil Wikipedia)
- Rao Balasaraswathi Devi – Top Songs – Listen on JioSaavn
Disclosure: This article has been written and edited with help from Google Gemini.
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