Veteran Singer Raavu Balasaraswathi Devi Passes Away

On 15th October 2025, veteran actress and singer Raavu Balasaraswathi Devi, widely celebrated as the first playback singer in Telugu cinema, passed away at the age of 97.

Raavu Balasaraswathi Devi was not only the pioneer of playback singing in Telugu films but also became the first ‘light music’ singer on All India Radio, leaving a lasting impact on Indian music.
Her cinematic singing debut came with the film Bhagya Lakshmi in 1943, where she lent her voice to actress Kamala Kotnis, marking the beginning of the playback singing era in Telugu cinema.
Balasaraswathi Devi appeared in several Tamil classics, including Bhaktha Kuchela (1936), Balayogini (1937), and Thiruneelakantar (1939), showcasing her versatility as a performer.