Sunitha Upadrashta is an Indian playback singer, anchor, host, dubbing artist and actress working in the South Indian Film Industry. She is popularly known as the ‘Queen of Melody’ of South Indian Cinema.
Wiki/Biography
Sunitha Upadrashta was born on Wednesday, 10 May 1978 (age 45 years; in 2023) in Bandar Guntur Andhra Pradesh. His zodiac sign is Gemini. At the age of 6, he got training in Carnatic Vocal from Pemaraju Surya Rao and Light Music from Kalaga Krishna Rao. At a very young age, he started performing in concerts and programs including those organized by All India Radio (AIR).
At the age of 13, he performed with his mentor Pemaraju Surya Rao at the Tyagaraja Aradhana Utsavalu. As a child, he received several awards and accolades in competitions for his performances. He also got a scholarship from the Central Government to pursue his Musical Training.
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 6″
Eye Color: Black
Hair Color: Black
Family, Caste & Husband
He belongs to a music loving Telugu Brahmin family.
Parents & Siblings
Upadrasta Narasimha Rao and Sumathi (Girls Name-Malladi).
Sunitha Upadrashta with her parents
Relationships, Husband & Children
At the age of 19, she married Kiran Kumar Goparaju, a media professional, but they later divorced. She has a boy named Aakash Goparaju and a girl named Shreya Goparaju.
Sunitha Upadrashta with her husband and children
Sunitha Upadrashta with her children
In 2018, there were speculations about her marriage to an IT professional. On 7th December 2020 (Monday), Sunitha got engaged to Ram Veerapaneni (Entrepreneur) in Hyderabad.
Sunitha Upadrashta with her fiancé
On Sunday, January 10, 2021, she married Ram Veerapaneni in a traditional Hindu ceremony at the Sri Seetha Rama Chandra Swamy Temple, Ammapally, near Shamshabad in Hyderabad.
Wedding photos of Sunitha Upadrashta and Ram Veerapaneni
Career
As a Singer
At the age of 17, Savitha started her career as a playback singer with the song “Ee Velalo Neevu” from the Telugu film Gulabi (1995).
She made her Kannada debut with the song “Kesari Haravu” from the film Bhoomi Geetha (1997). She made her Tamil debut with the song “Unakkoruthi” from the film Punniyavathi (1997).
He has sung more than 3000 songs for Tamil, Telugu, Kannada Film Industry. He has also worked for several personal albums such as Raghuram, Sai Sudha, Sri Venkateswara Thatwanidhi, Sri Vallabha Bhakti Geethalu, Sai Darshanam, Sri Chidvilasam, Amma Durgamma, Pahimaam, Sri Rama Charanam, Govinda Ganamrutham, Saye Dhaivam and Bathuku Paata. She has also featured in several of her Guru’s personal albums, two of which are Meera paravail and Aanota – Manasu Palike vela.
Devotional Songs
Sunitha has lent her voice to many devotional projects across South India; the first in 2016 with the name Annamayya Paataku Pattabhishekam.
Sunitha Upadrashta in one of her devotional programs
He has also lent his voice and hosted several projects like Vengamaamba Keerthanalu, Naada Neerajanam, Tirumala Brahmotsavam, Srivaari Sevalu, Thyaagaraaja Utsavaaalu, and Prashanthi Nilayam.
As a Voice Artist/Dubbing Artist
She entered the world of dubbing reluctantly but became the top choice for all the leading heroines after the release of the 1998 film “Choodalani Undi” starring Megastar Chiranjeevi and Soundarya, where she lent her voice to Soundarya.
To date, he has lent his voice to over 110 actors in over 750 films. He also holds the record for lending his voice to 60 films in one year. Gautamiputra Satakarni marks as Sunitha’s 750th film as a dubbing artist where she lends her voice to Shriya Saran.
In Television
He made his TV debut in 1995 with the show “Paadave Koyila,” an episode of a live music show aired on DD National Channel.
Sunitha Upadrashta gives a live performance on TV
He has also sung title songs for many Telugu TV serials and “Antharangaalu” being the first of them.
As Anchor
He made his acting debut with the 1996 Telugu Musical Competition show “Navaragam,” which aired on Gemini TV. He has hosted many shows like Yours with love, Saptaswaraalu, Antakshari, Saregamapa Lil Champs, Jhummandi Naadam, and Annamayya Paataku Pattabhishekam.
Sunitha Upadrashta hosts the show
As an Actor
She made her acting debut with the 2016 Telugu short film “Raagam” in the role of ‘Sree Chaitu.’
Sunitha Upadrashta-Raagam
He also made a special appearance in the 2018 Telugu short film “Thadasthu. “
Awards & Honors
National Award
- National Award for Folk Songs in Delhi, Ministry of Cultural Affairs
- National Award from All India Radio under light music category in 1994
Nandi Award
- Best Female Playback Singer for TV movie Antha Rangaalu in 1999
Sunitha Upadrashta with her Nandi Award
- Best Female Voiceover Artist for the movie Jayam in 2002
- Best Female Playback Singer for Athade Oka Sainyam Movie in 2003
- Best Female Voiceover Artist for the film Anand (voice of Kamalinee Mukherjee) in 2004
- Best Female Voiceover Artist for the film Pothe Poni in 2005
- Best Female Playback Singer for the movie Godavari Sunitha in 2006
- Best Female Playback Singer for TV movie Anthahpuram in 2010
- A TV movie titled Mamathala Kovela in 2011
- Best Female Dubbing Artist for the film Sri Rama Rajyam (voice of Nayantara) in 2012
Filmfare Awards
- Best Female Playback Singer – Kannada for the song “O Priyathama” from the movie Cheluveye Ninne Nodalu in 2010
Sunitha Upadrashta Receives Filmfare Award
- Best Female Playback Singer – Telugu for the song “Em Sandehamledu” from the movie Oohalu Gusagusalade in 2014
Other Awards
- Best Playback Singer Award from European Telugu Society, London (2003)
- Kalavedika Art Award as All-rounder for outstanding performance as singer, Anchor and Film dubbing artist in 2003
- The P Susheela Sangam Youth Award was awarded with a Gold Medal in 2004
- Sangam P Susheela Youth Award for the year 2004 awarded with Gold Medal.
- Ghantasala Melody Queen Award in 2011
- Lata Mangeshkar Best Singer Award for the year 2011 was presented by the State Government
Sunitha Upadrashta Receives Lata Mangeshkar Award
- Certificate of Recognition by the California Legislature in 2013
- T. Subbaram Reddy Lalitha Sangeeta Puraskar in 2013
Sunitha Upadrashta receives her T. Subbaram Reddy Lalitha Sangeeta Puraskar
- Sangeet Samman 2013 (Kannada film)
- New Jersey state recognition award by the New Jersey state Senate and General assembly passed a resolution to praise his excellence and contribution to the world of Indian music and Cinema in 2019
Sunitha Upadrashta New Jersey state recognition award
- Vishishta Seva Puraskar by NGO I Stand For The Nation in 2019
Note: He has received many awards and nominations apart from the awards and honors mentioned above.
Controversy
In 2019, in an interview, Swamy Swaroopanandendra Saraswati of the Sharad Peetham made a statement that many celebrities come and visit him whenever he stays at the Filmnagar Temple in Hyderabad. He listed the names of many celebrities including Sunitha. This enraged the singer and he slammed Swamy through his social media account for using his name on national television and including his name in the list of his disciples.
Favorite Things
- Singers: SP Balasubrahmanyam, P. Susheela
- Holy Scripture: Bhagavad Geeta
Facts/ Trivia
- Sunitha Upadrashta likes to travel and do photography.
Sunitha Upadrashta does Photography
- He has given around 500 programs so far on AIR, Doordarshan, ETV, Gemini TV and MAA TV.
- He has also given programs abroad, traveling in more than 19 countries. Some of them include Kuwait, Dubai, Malaysia, Singapore, London, US, Philippines, Kenya and Japan.
- In 2009, she did her own show titled ‘Musical Moments With Sunitha’ in the United States.
Sunitha Upadrashta during one of her concerts
- In the 50th year of India’s Independence, he sang Vande Mataram with SPBalasubrahmanyam at the Congress Plenary Session and also hosted the 50th anniversary celebration in the Assembly.
- He participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for Amaravathi, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh in 2015.
- He is a dog lover and owns a dog named Snoopy.
Sunitha Upadrashta with her dog snoopy
- Apart from having talent in singing, acting, anchoring, photography, she can also play the role of Veena.
Sunitha Upadrashta plays the Veena
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
