A. M. Rajah

A. M. Rajah

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Category: Music

A. M. Rajah Profile

  • Name:
  • A. M. Rajah
  • Other Name:
  • Aemala Manmatharaju Rajah
  • Born:
  • July 1, 1929
  • Died:
  • April 8, 1989
  • Father:
  • Manmadharaju
  • Mother:
  • Lakshmamma
  • Spouse:
  • Jikki

A. M. Rajah Biography

Rajah was a famous playback singer of South India. He was associated with film music since 1950’s and was active still 1970’s and has sung in all south Indian languages. He has also composed music for a few films. His voice was regarded as trade mark of great Malayalam actor, Sathyan, with the most memorable song being, Periyaare of the movie, Bharya. Chandrikayil aliyunna of Bharymar Sookshikkuka was another noted song of this combination. He was married to successful playback singer, Jikki. A. M. Rajah was the first male playback singer from the South to record a Hindi song in Mumbai. The song was bahut din huye recorded in the year 1952.

 

Rajah was born on 1 July 1929 in Ramachandrapuram of Andhra Pradesh as the son of Manmadharaju and Lakshmamma. He lost his father at a younger age and the family had to shift from one place to another till they got settled in Chennai. He completed graduation from Pachaiyappa's College. Rajah was an accomplished piano player and a trained Carnatic singer also during his college days. He learned western classic music and was a great fan of ghazals and north Indian playback singers like Hemant Kumar, Rafi, Talat Mehmood and Mukesh. During his college days, two of his compositions written by himself in Telugu were telecasted in AIR.

 

He received his first film offer from S. S. Vasan who was impressed by his songs telecasted in AIR. Thus his singing debut happened in the year 1951 with the movie – Samsaaram. Very soon, he became the top singer of south India and remained at top till middle 1950’s. He sang with almost all leading names of that time including his wife Jikki and P. Leela. His first Telugu film was Adarsam (1952) and first Malayalam movie, Lokaneethi (1952). Composer V. Dakshinamoorthy introduced him to Malayalam music. A few of his noted Malayalam songs include - Akasa Gangayude of Omana kuttan, Annu Ninne Kandathil Pinne of Unniyarcha, Chandana Pallakkil of Paalattu koman and Akkarakkundo of Inapravukal.

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Updated: January 21, 2014

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