Veteran playback singer S Janaki, who sang thousands of songs across films in South Indian languages, died at the age of 88 in Mysuru in Karnataka on Saturday (July 11, 2026).

S. Janaki’s early life in Telangana village shaped her interest in film music

She was admitted to Apollo Hospital in Mysuru in the early hours of Saturday (July 11) after she developed health complications. People who were looking after her shifted the singer to the hospital. She, however, did not respond to treatment and breathed her last in the evening, according to family sources. The veteran singer was residing at Bogadi in Mysuru since past few years.

On admission to the hospital, Janaki’s health condition was critical and she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the hospital said in a statement. Despite intensive medical care and continuous monitoring, Janaki suffered a cardiac arrest and was declared deceased shortly after, the release added.

Janaki’s grand daughter Apsara Vydyula posted a heartfelt note on Instagram, “She left us peacefully, surrounded by the lover o her family. While our hearts are heavy, we are also filled with gratitude for the extraordinary life she lived and the immeasurable joy she brought to millions through her timeless music.” She further wrote: “To the world she was an iconic voice whose songs became part of countless memories. To us, she was a loving grandmother whose warmth, humility, kindness, and grace will remain with us forever.”

Known for her versatility, Janaki recorded over 48,000 songs in multiple languages, predominantly the South Indian languages of Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam.

Over a career spanning six decades, she sang for films, albums, television and radio in about 20 Indian languages, including Hindi, Odia, Tulu, Urdu, Punjabi and Bengali.