Thu Jan 09 20:34:09 UTC 2025: **Legendary Playback Singer P. Jayachandran Passes Away at 81**
Thrissur, Kerala – January 10, 2025 – Renowned playback singer P. Jayachandran passed away Thursday at a private hospital in Thrissur at the age of 81. The celebrated singer, known for his expressive voice and six-decade-long career, had been undergoing treatment for cancer.
Jayachandran, whose soulful renditions captivated audiences across generations, had a prolific career spanning Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Hindi cinema. He recorded over 16,000 songs, leaving an indelible mark on Indian music. His voice, described as retaining a youthful charm even in his later years, resonated with listeners of all ages.
Born in Ernakulam to renowned musician Tripunithura Ravi Varma Kochaniyan Thampuran and Subhadra Kunjamma, Jayachandran’s passion for music began early, with involvement in Kathakali and playing the Mridangam and Chenda. He won numerous awards during his school years for light music and Mridangam. His career in film music began with “Kunjali Marakkar,” although “Oru Mullappoo Malayumayi” was his first recorded song. “Manjalayil Mungithorthi…” from “Kalithozhan” marked his significant breakthrough.
Throughout his career, Jayachandran collaborated with many leading composers, including G. Devarajan, M.S. Baburaj, V. Dakshinamoorthy, K. Raghavan, M.K. Arjunan, M.S. Viswanathan, Ilayaraja, A.R. Rahman, Vidyasagar, and M. Jayachandran. His contributions were recognized with prestigious awards, including the J.C. Daniel Award, Kalaimamani Award, a national award, five Kerala State awards, and four Tamil Nadu State awards.
Jayachandran is survived by his wife Lalitha and children Lakshmi and Dinanath (also a singer). The public can pay their respects at his residence in Punkunnam from 8 a.m. on Friday, followed by a viewing at the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The funeral will be held at Paliyath house, Chendamangalam, on Saturday.
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