Bengaluru, 12 July 

Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday said that the government would accord full State honours to legendary playback singer S Janaki and would explore ways to immortalise her legacy, describing the late singer as one of India's greatest musical icons.

Janaki died at a private hospital in Mysuru on Saturday due to age-related ailments. She was 88.

According to family sources, she developed breathing difficulties on Friday night and was admitted to the hospital, where she passed away. Her funeral will take place later in the day.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said the government had made arrangements for the public to pay their last respects toJanaki in Mysuru before her funeral with full State honours. He also said he would hold discussions with members of the film industry on measures to preserve her legacy.

"One of India's most iconic personalities, the legendary playback singer who came to be known as the 'Gana Kogile' (Nightingale of Song), Janaki, is no longer with us. She served our film industry in all languages for nearly 50 years," Shivakumar said.

The CM said he had spoken to Janaki's family on Saturday and had offered to facilitate the transportation of her mortal remains to Chennai or Hyderabad if the family wished.

"I asked her family, if you wanted to take her to Chennai, I will make arrangements. If you want to take her to Hyderabad, I will have her airlifted there. But they said no. Our grandmother's final wish was to remain in Mysuru. That is why they brought her here," he said.

Shivakumar said the government had arranged for members of the public to pay their last respects in Mysuru until Sunday afternoon. He said he had directed Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah to cancel his scheduled programme and represent the State government at the funeral.

Paying tribute to Janaki's contribution to Indian music, Shivakumar noted that she had received four National Film Awards, 33 state awards and the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award. He also highlighted Janaki's emotional attachment to Karnataka.

"The love she had for our language, our land and for Mysuru until her very last breath has brought immense honour to all of us. It is also a very special fact that she sang both her first song and her last song in Mysuru," he said.

Shivakumar said the government would consult the film fraternity on steps to ensure the singer's memory remained everlasting.

"In the coming days, I will also hold discussions with members of the film industry and decide what more can be done to ensure that her name remains immortal," he said.

Widely regarded as the "Nightingale of South India", Janaki recorded more than 48,000 songs over a career spanning six decades in about 20 Indian languages, including Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi. Born in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district in 1938, Janaki began her playback singing career with the Tamil film 'Vidhiyin Vilayattu' in 1957.

She was particularly celebrated in Karnataka, where fans fondly called her Gaana Kogile, and was known for her evergreen duets with PB Srinivas, SP Balasubrahmanyam and Rajkumar. In 2013, she declined the Padma Bhushan, saying the honour had come too late.

Thousands of people thronged to pay their last respects to Janaki in Mysuru, where her body was kept for public viewing.

Preparations are on for the funeral of the legendary singer at Kaniyanahundi in Mysuru, which is being overseen by senior district and police officers.