Ghantasala Venkateswararao (4 December 1922 – 11 February 1974) was an Indian

film composer, Playback Singer known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema and Kannada
cinema and also in Tamil, Malayalam, Tulu and Hindi language films. In 1970, he received the Padma
Shri award, India's fourth highest civilian award for his contribution to Indian cinema. According to The
Hindu and The Indian Express, Ghantasala was "Such a divine talent and with his songs he could move the
hearts of the people." "Ghantasala's blending of classical improvisations to the art of light music combined
with his virtuosity and sensitivity puts him a class apart, above all others in the field of playback
singing"."[1][2] "Gifted with what Indian Film Historian V. A. K. Ranga Rao called "the most majestic voice",
Ghantasala helped Telugu film music develop its own distinct character which remains unparalleled". He is
referred to as the "Gaana Gandharva" for his mesmerising voice and musical skills.[3]
Ghantasala performed in the United States, England and Germany, and for the United Nations
Organisation. The government of Andhra Pradesh marked the occasion of 25 years of his film career
as Silver Jubilee Celebrations of Ghantasala in Hyderabad on 1 February 1970. More than 30,000 people
attended the function held at the Lal Bahadur Stadium, Hyderabad.[4] Ghantasala continues to be popular.
Statutes of his likeness have been installed across Andhra Pradesh. Every year, the anniversaries of his
birth and death are celebrated in India and overseas.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]

Early life[edit]
Ghantasala was born in 1922 into a Telugu speaking Brahmin family of Soorayya Ghantasala, a
professional singer in Chowtapalli, a village in Gudivada taluk of Krishna District.[3]During his childhood,
Ghantasala used to dance to his father's Tarangams. His father died when Ghantasala was a child, and he
was brought up by his maternal uncle. He took formal music training from Patrayani Sitarama Sastry, and
joined Maharajah's Government College of Music and Dance in Vijayanagram.[14]

Career[edit]
Ghantasala participated in the Quit India Movement of 1942, for which he was arrested and imprisoned for
18 months at the Alipore (Allipura) Jail, Bellary.[15] After leaving jail, he met Samudrala Raghavacharya, who
advised him to try his luck in the film industry as a singer.[16] Ghantasala married Savitri, who lived in a
village called Pedapulivarru. In that village, Ghantasala met lyricist Samudrala Raghavacharya, who was
impressed with his voice and inducted him into the Madras film industry. Before Ghantasala found fame, he
was already an accomplished Carnatic music singer.
Ghantasala's first break as a singer came from All India Radio. Later on, Peketi Siva Ram from HMV
studios recorded Ghantasala's private songs. Ghantasala debuted as a chorus singer and for a character
role in Seeta Rama Jananam by Pratibha Films. After this, he worked with well-known music directors Gali
Penchala and C. R. Subbaraman. Ghantasala's first film as a music director was Laxmamma. He
introduced the technique of changing the vocal pitch and diction to suit the actor singing the songs.
Ghantasala was peerless at Padyam renderings and his way with the Telugu padyam was incomparable.
Producer Krishnaveni gave Ghantasala his first job as full-time music director for her film Mana Desam,
which was N. T. Rama Rao's first film. It established Ghantasala as a music composer-cum-playback
singer. He was the most prolific film composer and playback singer in Telugu cinema until the mid-1970s.
He composed music for many popular Telugu movies, including Patala Bhairavi, Mayabazaar, Lava
Kusa, Pandava Vanavasam, Rahasyam, Gundamma Katha, Paramanandayya Shishyula Katha and Pelli
Chesi Chudu, and also for popular Tamil and Kannada films in the 1950s and 1960s. Ghantasala sang for
and directed the music for a Hindi film Jhandaa ooncha Rahe Hamara (1964).[17] The song "Siva Sankari"
from the film Jagadeka Veeruni Katha (1961) believed to be one of the most challenging songs from
classical hindusthani and carnatic style was sung by Ghantasala in a single take.[17] [18][19] [20] [21]

Private recordings and Bhagavad Gita[edit]

Ghantasala served as the Aaasthana Gaayaka (court musician) for the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
He recorded private albums, including Bhagawad Gita, Patriotic Songs, Padyalu—a unique genre of
Telugu, singing the verses in dramatic style—Pushpa Vilapam, Devotional and folk songs. His recording of
"Bhagawad Gita", which he directed and sang, can now be heard daily in the Tirumala temple. [22] According
to music director Pendyala Nageswara Rao and playback singer P Susheela, "Ghantasala alone is the
foremost among playback singers who had a full-fledged melodious powerful voice range which could
accommodate in uniformity, all the three octaves in music quite comfortably".[23][24]
Pendyala Nageswara Rao channelled Ghantasala's classical musical knowledge and skills in classical
renditions and in Telugu films including siva sankari from film Jagadekaveeruni Katha, Rasika Raja
taguvaramu kama from film Jayabheri, and Syamala Dandakam – Manikya Veena from film Mahakavi
Kalidasu. Pendyala said these renditions were recorded only in one take by Ghantasala.[25]

Death[edit]
Ghantasala died on 11 February 1974, two months after his 51st birthday, due to cardiac arrest at a
hospital in Chennai. The last song he recorded was for a documentary – Bhadrachala Ramadasu
Vaibhavam ( music by Master Venu ) from the hospital bed the day before his death.

Legacy[edit]
The Indian government released a postage stamp and first day cover to celebrate Ghantasala's work on 11
February 2003. He is the first movie singer-composer of the south to be accorded this honour.[1][26] The US
Postal Department has released a postal stamp on Ghantasala on 6 October 2014. The postal stamp was
jointly released by the North American Telugu Society (NATS) in collaboration with Telugu Literary and
Cultural Association (TLCA) in New York.[27][28] Various awards named after Ghantasala are given every
year, including the "Ghantasala melody king award". Recipients of this award include playback singers K J
Yesudas and P Suseela, and Indian Idol Sri Ramachandra.[7][29][30] Ghantasala Arts Academy has instituted
the "Ghantasala National Award"; the first winner was playback singer S. P. Balasubrahmanyam.[31]

Awards[edit]

Ghantasala statue in Guntur

Ghantasala was honoured with the "Padmashri" by the Government of India.[32][33] He won the best playback
singer award in Andhra Pradesh every year for nearly 30 years, a feat unachieved by any other playback
singer.[3]
After the saint poet Annamacharya in the 15th century, Ghantasala has been the only singer to perform
devotional songs inside the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple near the Lord Moola Virat.[3]

Tributes[edit]
"Kala Pradarshini Ghantasala Puraskar", the only award instituted directly by the Ghantasala Family
curated by his second son Ravi Ghantasala and his wife, acclaimed dancer Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala,
which aims to honor legends who have contributed to "Arts and Philanthropy". the Inaugural awards were
presented to Dr.S.P.Balasubramanyam (music), Dr. Padma Subramaniam (Dance) and Dr. Nalli
Kuppusamy Chetty (Philanthropy).
The Ghantasala Puraskar Award 2014, given every year by Sharan Incorporation, has been conferred on
Rao Bala Saraswathi Devi, who was the first Telugu playback singer.[34]The Government music college
in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, is named after Ghantasala.[35] Ghantasala Sangeetha Kalasala college in
Hyderabad and Vizag offers six-month and one-year diploma courses on Ghantasala's light music, songs
and music.[36]

Personal life