Vani Jairam (1945-2023) was an Indian playback singer. She is not only known to have rendered her voice to more than 10,000 but is also known for singing songs in 19 different languages such as Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Gujarati, and Bengali. She breathed her last at the age of 77 in her residence in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on 4 February 2023.
Wiki/Biography
Vani Jairam was born as Kalaivani on Friday, 30 November 1945 (age 77 years; at the time of death) in Vellore, Madras Presidency, British India (now Tamil Nadu, India). Her zodiac sign is Sagittarius. After completing her schooling at Lady Sivaswamy Ayyar Girls’ Higher Secondary School in Chennai, she enrolled at Queen Mary’s College in Chennai, where she pursued her graduation. Her affiliation with music began when she started musical training under the guidance of Ranga Ramunaja Iyengar at an early age. Under his guidance, she learnt how to sing Muthuswami Dikshitar’s written Kritis. She was later on taught by Carnatic singers like Kadalur Srinivas Iyengar, T. R. Balasubramanian, and R. S. Mani.
Family
Vani Jairam belonged to a Tamil family.
Parents & Siblings
Her father’s name is Duraisamy Iyengar (deceased). Her mother, Padmavathi, was a Carnatic vocalist. She has three brothers and five sisters. Her sister’s name is Uma. She was the second youngest child in her family.
Husband & Children
Her husband, T. S. Jayaraman, died in 2018. They got married to each other on 4 February 1969. The couple does not have any kids.
Vani Jairam with her husband
Career
Banker
Vani Jairam joined the State Bank of India after she cleared her banking services examination after completing her graduation from Queen Mary’s College. She joined the Madras branch of the SBI but was later posted to the Hyderabad branch in 1967. After she got married to T. S. Jayaraman in 1969, she was posted to the SBI’s Bombay branch. While in Bombay, she was introduced to a Hindustani Classical singer from Patiala Gharana, Ustad Abdul Rahman Khan, by her husband, who began training her. In an interview, Vani said that she practised Hindustani Classical singing for eight hours a day. She later quit her job as a banker after Ustad Abdul asked her to do so. Talking about it, in an interview, she said,
He used to come to our apartment and classes would begin at 10 a.m. every day. It would go on till late evening. The lessons were so rigorous that after a few days, he told me to give up my State Bank of India job, and I did.”
After quitting her job as a banker, Vani Jairam performed in her first concert along with Ustad Abdul Rahman Khan in 1969. While giving an interview, she said,
After I learnt the nuances of Thumri, Bhajan and Ghazals, I gave my first public concert in 1969 in Bombay.”
Singer
Since Ustad Abdul was impressed by Vani’s voice, he introduced her to a Bombay-based music composer named Vasant Desai who asked Vani to lend her voice to a Marathi song Runanubandhachya along with Kumar Gandharva. Kumar, however, was sceptical of Vani’s singing capabilities and initially refused to work with her. He later changed his decision after he saw Vani Jairam sing. During an interview, she said,
My guru had told Vasant Desai about me. He listened to my performance that day and asked me to come over to the studios.”
Vani Jairam’s picture taken while she was recording a song
Hindi
Vani made her debut in Bollywood with the 1971 film Guddi in which she lent her voice to the songs composed by Vasant Desai. The film’s cast included Dharmendra and Jaya Bachchan. Many schools across India adopted Humko Mann Ki Shakti Dena, a track from Guddi, as a part of its morning prayer.
Vani Jairam lent her voice to More Saajan Souten Ghar, a track from the 1972 film Pakeezah. In 1973, she worked along with the famous Indian singer Kishore Kumar and sang for the film Ek Mutthi Aasmaan. Vani Jairam sang Dulhan Badi Jadugarni, along with Asha Bhosle in the 1977 film Aaina. In 1978, she lent her voice to several songs in Khoon Ka Badla Khoon. In the film, she worked along with singers like Mohammed Rafi, Uttara Kelkar, and Pushpa Pagdhare. For rendering her voice for the 1979 film Meera’s soundtrack Mere To Giridhar Gopal, Vina Jairam won the Filmfare award. She sang twelve bhajans in the film. Vani worked with Kumar Sanu and lent her voice to the 1983 film Baap Bete’s soundtrack Yeh Pyaar Ka Mausam.
Tamil
Vani Jairam made her debut in the Tamil film industry with the 1973 film Veettukku Vandha Marumagal.
A poster of Veettukku Vandha Marumagal
Before singing for Veettukku Vandha Marumagal, Vani had sung in Thayum Seiyum, but neither the film nor its songs were released. In the same year, she worked as a playback singer in Veettukku Vandha Marumagal and sang Or Idam Unnidam. Vani lent her voice to the 1974 film Dheerga Sumangali’s soundtrack Malligai En Mannan Mayangum. In 1975, Vani received National Film Award for rendering her voice to several songs in the film Apoorva Raagangal. Vani won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for lending her voice to the 1979 film Azhage Unnai Aarathikkiren’s soundtrack Naane Naane. In 2014, she sang several songs for the films Kaaviyathalaivan and Ramanujan.
Telugu
Vani Jairam sang her first song in the Tamil film industry in the 1973 film Abhimanavanthulu.
A poster of Abhimanavanthulu
In the 1975 Telugu film Pooja, Vani Jairam rendered her voice to two songs titled Poojalu Cheya and Ennenno Janmala Bandham. For singing five songs in the 1979 film Sankarabharanam, Vani Jairam received the Nandi Award. She received the National Film Award in 1992 for lending her voice to several songs from Swathi Kiranam.
Kannada
Vani Jairam made her debut in the Kannada film industry in 1973 with the film Kesarina Kamala. In the 1974 film Upasana, Vani lent her voice to Bhaavavemba Hoovu Arali. She worked as a playback singer in several 1987 films such as Olavina Udugore, Sowbhagya Lakshmi, and Shruthi Seridaaga.
Malayalam
Vani Jairam sang her first song in the Malayalam film industry in 1973 in the film Swapnam.
A poster of Swapnam
In 1974, she lent her voice to Ayalathe Sundari’s soundtrack Chithravarnapushpajaalamorukki. In 1980, Vani rendered her voice to several films including Aarohanam, Adhikaaram, Arangum Aniyarayum, and Vaiki Vanna Vasantham. She worked as a playback singer in several 2014 films like Iniyum Ethra Dooram, 1983, and Pradhi Nayagan.
Songs in other languages
Vani Jairam has also sung songs in other Indian languages such as Gujarati, Marwari, Marathi, Odiya, and Bengali. She has also rendered her voice to several bhajans with singers like Pandit Briju Maharaj.
A photo of Vani Jairam taken during a Bhajan concert
Awards, Honours, Achievements
- In January 2023, Vani Jairam was nominated by the Government of India for receiving India’s third-highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan. She, however, passed away before receiving the award.
- In 2022, she won the Bhavan’s Legendary Award.
A photograph of Vani Jairam taken while receiving Bahavan’s Legendary Award
- In 2021, the state government of Tamil Nadu presented her with the Kalaimamani Award.
- The Pravasi Express Awards gave her the Life Time Achievement Award in Singapore in 2018.
- In the same year, Sankara Nethralya awarded Vani Jairam the M.S. Subbulakshmi Award.
- The Ghantasala National Art Academy awarded her the Ghantasala national award in 2017.
A photo of Vani taken while she was receiving the Ghantasala national award
- In the same year, Vani Jairam received the Vanitha Film Awards under the Best Singer category.
- In 2017, the North American Film Awards awarded her with Best Female Playback Singer – Malayalam.
- For Best Duet with Yesudas, Vani Jairam received the Red FM Music Award in 2016.
- Vani Jairam won the Raindropss’ Life Time Achievement Award in 2015 during the Women Achievers Award Ceremony.
- In 2014, she won the Best Playback Singer Award from Asiavision Awards for the song Olanjali Kuruvi from the film 1983.
- The Kannadasan Kazagam awarded her with Kannadasan Award in 2014.
- In the same year, she received Radio Mirchi’s Life Time Achievement Award.
- The Yuva Kala Vahini presented Vani Jairam with the Pride of Indian Music Award in 2014.
- In 2013, she won the 60th South Indian Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award.
A photo of Vani with her 60th South Indian Filmfare Award
- In the same year, she won the P Susheela Award.
- She won the Subramanya Bharathi Award in 2012.
- The Dasari Cultural Academy bestowed her with the South Indian Meera title in 2007.
- Mudhra Academy in Chennai awarded her with the Mudhra Award of Excellence in 2006.
- In 2004, she was given the Kamukara Award for her contribution to South Indian music.
- The state government of Tamil Nadu presented her with M.K. Thyagarajar Bhagavathar – Life Time Achievement Award in the same year.
- In 2003, she won the Vibrant Indian Award.
A newspaper cutout with Vani’s reception of Vibrant Indian Award news
- She was presented with the Sangeet Peet Samman in 1992.
- In 1991, under the category of Best Female Playback Singer, she received the National Film Award for Anathineeyara Hara from the Telugu film Swathi Kiranam.
- The Tamil Nadu government awarded her with the Kalaimamani Award in 1991.
- In 1982, she received the Odisha State Film Award for Best Singer for Debjani.
- Under the category of Best Female Playback Singer for the Telugu film Sankarabharanam, Vani won the National Film Award in 1980.
- In the same year, under the Best Female Playback Singer category, Vani won the Filmfare Award for Mere Toh Giridhar Gopal from the Hindi film Meera.
- In 1979, for the Tamil film Azhagae Unnai Aradhikkiren, Vani received the Tamil Nadu State Film Award under the Best Female Playback category.
- In the same year, she won Film World and Cine Herald Awards for Mere To Giridhar Gopal from the Hindi film Meera.
- In 1979, she received the Nandi Award for Sankarabharanam.
- Under the Best Female Playback Singer, Vani won the National Film Awards for the Tamil film Apoorva Raagangal in 1975.
- In 1972, Vani Jairam received the Gujarat State Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for Ghoongat.
- In 1971, for Bol Re Papihara from the Hindi film Guddi, Vani received several accolades Mian Tansen Award for Best Film Playback Singer of Classical Song in Films, The Lions International Best Promising Singer, The All India Cinegoers Association, and the All India Film-goers Association awards for the Best Playback Singer.
Death
On 4 February 2023, Vani Jairam’s dead body was found in her apartment in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. According to several sources, her body was discovered by the police after the cops broke into the house after Vani’s housemaid and her sister, Uma, informed the police of her not responding to their phone calls and doorbells. Some sources, however, claim that Vina’s body was discovered in her house by her sister and the housemaid after they entered the house using a duplicate key following which they informed the police. The police found deep cuts on Vani Jairam’s forehead that they believe she received after falling; however, the police registered a case under section 174 CrPC ( unnatural death) to investigate the matter. In its official statement, the police said,
A maid servant Malarkodi, who used to do daily chores at her residence, arrived at the home at 11 a.m. and even after the repeated ringing of the bell, there was no response from inside. After the body was found, we rushed her to the hospital but was declared dead upon arrival. The police are conducting an investigation and further details will be known only after the postmortem report comes.”
Later, the police ruled out any possibility of murder and concluded in its report that Vani died of an injury sustained on the forehead due to an accidental fall. Vani Jairam was cremated with full state honours with Tamil Nadu presenting her with a gun salute.
A photo of Tamil Nadu police personnel giving a gun salute during the cremation of Vani Jairam
Facts/Trivia
- Vani Jairam was also known as Doraiswamy Kalaivani.
- When Vani was eight years old, she sang for the public for the first time on All India Radio (AIR), Madras.
- In an interview, Vani Jairam said that when she was a child, she liked listening to Hindi music on Radio Ceylon, despite her mother not allowing her to listen to Hindi songs. Talking about it, she said,
Radio was a very big part of our childhood. Hindi film songs enchanted me and forever I was tuned to Radio Ceylon to listen to Binaca Geethmala. I have heard all those golden songs innumerable times, so much so that I knew the complete orchestration of each of them.”
- Vani Jairam’s surname is also spelt as Jayaram.
- Vani Jairam’s favourite singer was Mohammed Rafi.
A picture of Vani Jairam (extreme left) with Mohammed Rafi
- In an interview, Vani Jairam said that when A. R. Rahman was young, he invited her to the inaugural ceremony of his boy band. Rahman knew Vani since his young days as she had worked with his father, R. S. Shekhar, in several Malayali films. Talking about it, she said,
He had just formed a boy band and was looking for someone well known to inaugurate it. I had sung a number of songs for his father R. S. Shekhar in Malayalam films. He invited me to light the lamp. Today, it is so good to see that despite all his achievements, he is so grounded and humble to this date.”
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
