A legendary voice fades out: Playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam passes away

Noted playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam fondly called as SPB who had given numerous numbers for people to hum across generations breathed his last on September 25, 2020 at 01:04 PM.

He was admitted to the MGM Health Care hospital upon testing positive for the Wuhan virus. During the initial days, he kept his spirits high and even released a picture from bed.

Saksi™ on Twitter: "Picture of #SPBalasubrahmanyam flashing thumbs-up sign  from hospital bed gives countless fans hope! Singer #SPB sir's condition  stable..! message from his family members. Let's continue our prayers!…  https://t.co/vbv0GHMROx"

However, his health had deteriorated and was shifted to the intensive care unit. On September 7, he had tested negative for the Wuhan virus but remained on ventilator support. He was kept on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support for the past few days.

SPB had sung more than 40,000 songs in 16 languages. He holds the Guinness World Record for recording the highest number of songs by a singer. He made his debut as a playback singer in 1966 with the Telugu film Sri Sri Sri Maryada Ramanna. 

He has won several awards including the Padma Shri (2001) and Padma Bhushan (2011) from the Government of India.

He had donated his ancestral house in Nellore to the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham in the presence of Sri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Swami on February 11, 2020 for running a Veda Patasala.

SP Balasubrahmanyam Donates His House: ಕಂಚಿ ಮಠಕ್ಕೆ ಮನೆ ದಾನ ಮಾಡಿದ ಎಸ್ ಪಿ  ಬಾಲಸುಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣ್ಯಂ - Kannada Filmibeat