M. S. Subbulakshmi
Carnatic vocalist and first musician to receive the Bharat Ratna
- Lived
- 88 yrs
- 1916 – 2004
- Works listed
- 4
- Film, Recording
- Honours
- 5
- Most recent 1998
- Profile views
- 3
- 0 followers
M. S. Subbulakshmi was a Carnatic classical singer whose devotional recordings are still heard in homes and temples every morning. She was the first musician to receive the Bharat Ratna, the first Indian musician to win the Ramon Magsaysay Award and sang at the United Nations in 1966. She died in 2004.
Biography
Madurai
Subbulakshmi was born in Madurai to Shanmukhavadivu, a veena player from a family of devadasi musicians. She made her first recording at about ten and gave her first concert at the Madras Music Academy as a teenager in 1929, quickly gaining a following.
Films
In the late 1930s and 1940s she acted in a handful of Tamil films, including Sevasadanam (1938) and Meera (1945), in which she played the poet-saint. The Hindi version of Meera (1947) made her famous across India and introduced her to leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Sarojini Naidu.
A devotional voice
She married T. Sadasivam, a freedom fighter and publisher, in 1940 and devoted herself to classical and devotional music. Her recordings of the Venkatesa Suprabhatam, Bhaja Govindam and Vishnu Sahasranamam are among the most played in India. Many of her concerts raised money for charity.
Honours
In 1966 she sang at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. She was the first woman to receive the Sangeetha Kalanidhi title (1968), the first Indian musician to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award (1974) and the first musician to be awarded the Bharat Ratna (1998). She died in Chennai on 11 December 2004.
Timeline
-
1916
Born in Madurai, Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu)
-
1929
Concert at the Madras Music Academy
-
1938
Film debut in Sevasadanam
-
1945
Meera
-
1966
Sings at the United Nations
-
1968
Sangeetha Kalanidhi
First woman to receive it.
-
1974
Ramon Magsaysay Award
-
1975
Padma Vibhushan
-
1998
Bharat Ratna
-
2004
Dies in Chennai
-
2004
Died, aged 88
Notable works
-
1945
Meera Film
-
—
Venkatesa Suprabhatam Recording
-
—
Bhaja Govindam Recording
-
—
Vishnu Sahasranamam Recording
Awards and honours
-
Padma Bhushan
1954
-
Sangeetha Kalanidhi
1968
-
Ramon Magsaysay Award
1974
-
Padma Vibhushan
1975
-
Bharat Ratna
1998
Did you know?
-
1
She was the first musician ever to receive the Bharat Ratna.
-
2
Her Suprabhatam recording is played at dawn in many temples.
-
3
Mahatma Gandhi asked her to sing his favourite bhajan “Hari Tum Haro”.
Connections
Related people
-
Bismillah Khan
Music · Shehnai maestro and Bharat Ratna
Fellow Bharat Ratna musician
-
Sarojini Naidu
Politics & Leadership · Poet, freedom fighter and first woman governor of an Indian state
Admirer of her music
-
Mahatma Gandhi
Politics & Leadership · Leader of India’s independence movement and pioneer of non-violent resistance
Sang his favourite bhajan
Frequently asked
Who is M. S. Subbulakshmi?
M. S. Subbulakshmi was a Carnatic classical singer whose devotional recordings are still heard in homes and temples every morning. She was the first musician to receive the Bharat Ratna, the first Indian musician to win the Ramon Magsaysay Award and sang at the United Nations in 1966. She died in 2004.
When did M. S. Subbulakshmi die?
M. S. Subbulakshmi died on 11 December 2004 at the age of 88.
Where is M. S. Subbulakshmi from?
M. S. Subbulakshmi was born in Madurai, Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu).
What is M. S. Subbulakshmi known for?
M. S. Subbulakshmi is best known for Venkatesa Suprabhatam, Bhaja Govindam, Vishnu Sahasranamam, the film Meera.
What awards has M. S. Subbulakshmi received?
Notable honours include Padma Bhushan (1954), Sangeetha Kalanidhi (1968), Ramon Magsaysay Award (1974), Padma Vibhushan (1975).
Who is M. S. Subbulakshmi married to?
Spouse: T. Sadasivam (m. 1940).
References
- M. S. Subbulakshmi — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- M. S. Subbulakshmi — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- M. S. Subbulakshmi — Spotify. Spotify. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- M. S. Subbulakshmi — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- M. S. Subbulakshmi (Q465067) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
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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
“M. S. Subbulakshmi.” TrackFame, last updated 28 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/m-s-subbulakshmi
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