Kalpana Raghavendar, is an Indian playback singer who has sung in Telugu and Tamil movies for more than 1000 songs.
Early Life and Background
Kalpana Raghavendar was born on May 8, 1980, in India. She comes from a musical family. Her father, T. S. Raghavendra, was a well-known playback singer, actor, and music composer. Her mother, Sulochana, is also a singer. Kalpana’s younger sister, Shekinah Shawn, is an opera singer.
Kalpana was trained in Carnatic music by Madurai T. Srinivasan. Along with music, she pursued her education and earned a Master of Computer Applications (MCA) degree and a Master of Philosophy (MPhil).
Musical Career
Kalpana started singing at the age of five. Her first song, composed by Saluri Vasurao, was recorded as part of a family collaboration with famous artists like P. Susheela, Mano, and M. M. Srilekha.
In 1999, she debuted her professional playback singing with the song "Mangalagouriki" for the Telugu movie Manoharam, composed by Mani Sharma. Since then, she has sung in many languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Assamese.
She has worked with legendary composers and singers like Ilaiyaraaja, A. R. Rahman, K. V. Mahadevan, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, and K. S. Chithra. Apart from playback singing, Kalpana is famous for her live performances. She has performed in almost 3,000 concerts across India and internationally.
In 2013, she led a tribute concert in memory of her music teacher, Madurai T. Srinivasan. This concert strengthened her reputation in the music industry.
Reality Shows and Television Appearances
Kalpana became widely popular in 2010 when she won Idea Star Singer (Season 5), a famous singing competition on Asianet. In 2017, she participated in Bigg Boss Telugu (Season 1), a reality show. She was eliminated on the 28th day of the competition.
She has also worked as a judge on several TV singing competitions, including Super Singer Junior (Tamil), Super Singer (Telugu), and Star Singer (Malayalam). She has mentored many aspiring singers through these platforms.
Acting and Other Contributions
Kalpana has also acted in films. She appeared as a child artist in the 1986 Tamil movie Punnagai Mannan. In addition, she has done voice dubbing for movies and remains a significant part of the South Indian music industry.
Discography and Achievements
Kalpana has recorded more than 1,500 songs in different languages. Some of her most famous songs include:
- "Poda Poda Punnaku" (En Rasavin Manasile)
- "Premante Suluvu Kadhura" (Kushi)
- "Joole Joole" (Varsham)
- "Pogiren" (36 Vayadhinile)
She has won many awards for her outstanding singing. Some of her notable awards include:
- Nandi Award for Best Playback Singer (Female) – for the song "Navamoorthulainatti" from Intinta Annamayya (2018)
- Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer – for the song "Pogiren" from 36 Vayadhinile (2015)
