Sripathi Panditaradhyula Balasubrahmanyam, born in a Telugu Brahmin family in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh on June 4, 1946, debuted as a playback singer in 1966 with the Telugu film Sri Sri Maryadha Ramanna.

He went on to sing in Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam before taking Bollywood by storm with the Kamal Haasan-starrer Ek Duuje Ke Liye and, later, Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hain Koun, which catapulted Salman Khan to stardom.

The Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan, were but two of the numerous awards that came to the effortless singer who found lifes rhythm in humility.

He wasnt just a singer; he composed music for more than 45 films in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Hindi; he acted in more than 40 Tamil, Telugu and Kannada movies.

SPB spent 40 days in hospital, battling Covid-19 with the same grace with which he did everything.

He was put on life support for severe pneumonia on August 14.

He tested negative for the viral infection on September 4, but by then his lungs were affected, doctors said.

On Thursday, the singer suffered a serious setback, and by Friday, the doctors could do no more.

As word of his demise spread, people from all walks of life started queuing up at his residence at Kamdhar Nagar in the heart of the city to pay their respects.

For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service.

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