Photo: Saregama Carnatic / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
M. S. Subbulakshmi is one of those rare figures whose name alone commands reverence. My take is that she did for Carnatic music what very few artists ever achieve for any art form: she made it a symbol of a nation. Becoming the first musician awarded the Bharat Ratna, and the first Indian to sing at the United Nations General Assembly in 1966, she carried devotion in her voice across the world. Though she also acted in film, I believe her true gift was turning song into prayer. Two decades after her death, that luminous voice still feels utterly immortal.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- M. S. Subbulakshmi
- Name (Japanese)
- M.S.スッブラクシュミ
- Reading
- M.S.すっぶらくしゅみ
- Born
- September 16, 1916 – December 11, 2004
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Virgo / Dragon
- Origin
- Madurai, Madurai district, India
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- singer / film actor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1956 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
- 1974 Ramon Magsaysay Award
- 1954 Padma Bhushan
- 1998 Bharat Ratna
- 1975 Padma Vibhushan
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M.%20S.%20Subbulakshmi
Frequently asked questions
When was M. S. Subbulakshmi born?
September 16, 1916 – December 11, 2004.
Where is M. S. Subbulakshmi from?
M. S. Subbulakshmi is from Madurai, Madurai district, India.
What does M. S. Subbulakshmi do?
M. S. Subbulakshmi works as singer, film actor.
Singer — see all → · Film actor — see all → · More people from India →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-19
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.