Birthday Greetings to K.J.Yesudas, one of India’s most respected singers, who turned 79 years today.

K.J. Yesudas, whose soul-stirring renditions have mesmerized music lovers the world over, turned 77 today. Endowed with a captivating melodious voice, classical excellence, and a penchant for hard work, it has been a triumphant journey for Yesudas, becoming one of the most admired and most recorded artists ever.

His debut in film songs came through the Malayalam movie ‘Kaalpadukal’ on November 14, 1961. Since then, he strode like a colossus in the field of Malayalam playback singing and saw him render equally good impact in other Indian languages like Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Hindi.

Yesudas had a humble beginning to his career as a musician, which later paved the way for greater glories in the future. At a time when many singers catapult to stardom and then fade into obscurity, Kattasery Joseph Yesudas shines like a beacon. For this versatile singer, milestones and records do not seem to matter.

Yesudas credits his success to “the grace of God,” and to the support, love, and affection he has been receiving from the audience across the world. In spite of all his remarkable achievements, Yesudas is a very humble and down-to-earth person. His humility, perseverance, and devotion to music are an inspiration to all the young aspiring musicians, who wish to follow in his footsteps.

He has won the record number of Seven National Awards for the Best Play Back Singer. He was awarded Padma Shri in 1975 and Padma Bhushan in 2002 by the Government of India for his contributions to the music world.

For the last half-a-century, he has been an unavoidable presence in the minds of millions of music lovers.

He still continues to mesmerize us with his soothing, romantic voice.