- Age
- 86 yrs
- Birthday in 74 days
- Works listed
- 3
- Song, Devotional song
- Honours
- 4
- Most recent 2017
- Profile views
- 1
- 0 followers
K. J. Yesudas is a Carnatic classical singer and playback singer who has recorded tens of thousands of songs, mainly in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. He holds the record of eight National Film Awards for Best Male Playback Singer and received the Padma Vibhushan in 2017.
Biography
Early life
Yesudas was born in Fort Kochi into a Latin Catholic family; his father, Augustine Joseph, was a stage actor and singer. He studied Carnatic music at the RLV Music Academy in Thripunithura and the Swathi Thirunal College of Music, and later learnt from the master Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar. His family was poor, and he struggled for years before his break.
The voice of Malayalam cinema
His first film song was recorded for Kalpadukal (1962), a film on social harmony. From the 1960s, working with composers such as G. Devarajan and V. Dakshinamoorthy, he became the dominant voice of Malayalam film music, singing for every leading actor of the era.
Across India
He sang widely in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films, and in Hindi he is remembered for “Gori Tera Gaon Bada Pyara” from Chitchor (1976), which won a National Film Award, and “Jab Deep Jale Aana”. In all he won eight National Film Awards for Best Male Playback Singer, a record.
Classical singer and devotion
Alongside film work, Yesudas has given Carnatic concerts for more than six decades. His recording of “Harivarasanam” is played every night when the Sabarimala temple closes. He received the Padma Shri in 1975, the Padma Bhushan in 2002 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2017, and founded the recording studio Tharangini.
Timeline
-
1940
Born in Fort Kochi, Kingdom of Cochin (now Kerala)
-
1961
Records first film song
Released in Kalpadukal (1962).
-
1972
First National Film Award
-
1975
Padma Shri
-
1976
Chitchor
-
2002
Padma Bhushan
-
2017
Padma Vibhushan
Notable works
-
1976
Gori Tera Gaon Bada Pyara Song
-
—
Harivarasanam Devotional song
Played at Sabarimala.
-
1976
Jab Deep Jale Aana Song
Awards and honours
-
Padma Shri
1975
-
National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer
1977 · Chitchor.
-
Padma Bhushan
2002
-
Padma Vibhushan
2017
Did you know?
-
1
He has won eight National Film Awards for playback singing, a record.
-
2
His “Harivarasanam” is played nightly at Sabarimala.
-
3
Fans call him “Gana Gandharvan”, the celestial singer.
Connections
Related people
Also born on 10 January
Frequently asked
Who is K. J. Yesudas?
K. J. Yesudas is a Carnatic classical singer and playback singer who has recorded tens of thousands of songs, mainly in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. He holds the record of eight National Film Awards for Best Male Playback Singer and received the Padma Vibhushan in 2017.
How old is K. J. Yesudas?
K. J. Yesudas is 86 years old, born on 10 January 1940 in Fort Kochi, Kingdom of Cochin (now Kerala).
Where is K. J. Yesudas from?
K. J. Yesudas was born in Fort Kochi, Kingdom of Cochin (now Kerala).
What is K. J. Yesudas known for?
K. J. Yesudas is best known for Malayalam film songs, Harivarasanam, Gori Tera Gaon Bada Pyara.
What awards has K. J. Yesudas received?
Notable honours include Padma Shri (1975), National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer (1977), Padma Bhushan (2002), Padma Vibhushan (2017).
References
- K. J. Yesudas — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- K. J. Yesudas — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- K. J. Yesudas — Spotify. Spotify. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- K. J. Yesudas — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- K. J. Yesudas (Q2051849) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “K. J. Yesudas”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
Featured in
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 27 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“K. J. Yesudas.” TrackFame, last updated 28 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/k-j-yesudas
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