Uyarntha Manithan

Padma Bhushan for P. SusheelaPadma Bhushan for P. Susheela

Veteran playback singer Pulapaka Susheela(73), popularly known as P. Susheela, has been conferred by the Indian government with the prestigious Padma Bhushan award for the year 2008. P. Susheela, recognized as one of the greatest stars in south Indian cinema, has sung lot of songs in many languages including Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada and Sinhalese. Susheela was born in 1935 in Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh. She was discovered by music director Nageswara Rao, who was looking for fresh talents. It was in her 15th age (1950) when she got to sing her first song, a duet with A. M. Raja - 'Edhukku azhaithaai'. Her sweet voice captivated everyone and she became the favorite of every music director. Right from 1955 there was not a single movie - for nearly three decades - that did not have a song in her voice. She has received National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer five times, two of which were for Tamil songs (1969, Uyarntha Manithan , Paal polave vaan meedhile, and 1972, Savaale Samaali, Chittuk Kuruvikkenna Kattuppaadu). All the other three are for Telugu movies. She has also received state awards for around 15 times from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala governments.