M.S. Rama Rao
Born(1921-07-03)3 July 1921
Moparru, Tenali, Andhra Pradesh
Died20 April 1992(1992-04-20) (aged 70)
Hyderabad, Andhra pradesh, India
GenresPlayback singing, Devotional
Occupation(s)Singer, composer
Websitemsramaraomemorialtrust.org/bookcds.htm

M. S. Rama Rao (3 July 1921 – 20 April 1992) was an Indian singer and composer. He was popular for his devotional songs.He was the very first play back singer in the Telugu filmdom.

Singing career

Rama Rao debuted at World Telugu Conference held in Hyderabad in 1975.[1]

He became popular for his Telugu Version of Hanuman Chalisa. He also narrated Bala kanda,Ayodhya kanda and Sundara Kanda (some parts of the epic Ramayana) in form of Songs in Telugu. He gained fame for singing the devotional songs and was awarded the name of 'Sundara Dasu' in 1977.

He wrote Hanuman Chalisa and Sundarakandamu of Valmiki Ramayana in Telugu during 1972–74. He sang Sundarakanda in the form of Telugu songs.

Tollywood

His movie career as singer spanned 1944–64 in Madras.

He also sang " Ee vishala prashantha ekanta soudhamlo" for O. P. Nayyar's Telugu movie, Neerajanam.

Personal life

M.S.Rama Rao married Lakshmi Samrajyam in 1946 and had three children P.V.Sarojini Devi M.Babu Rao and M.Nageshwar Rao. He was inspired to write Hanuman chalisa because of his elder son Babu Rao who was a pilot in the Indian Air force whose whereabouts were not known for a long time during the Indo-Pak war in 1971, so he dedicated himself to lord Hanuman for his safe return and composed and sang the Hanuman chalisa in Telugu. His only lineage to carry his surname is capt Moparti Anil Rao (grandson) and then his son Moparti Aman Rao (great-grandson). All of them being three generations of pilots. M.S.Rama Rao's second grandson is taking forward his legacy by continuing to perform his songs.

Awards

Rama Rao gained fame for his singing the above two works and was awarded the name of 'Sundara Dasu' in 1977.

Rao's inspirational songs still provide incentives to follow the path of singing, even a decade after his unfortunate death.[2]

Songs

  • Sundarakandamu
  • Hanuman Chalisa
  • Bala Kandamu

Filmography

YearFilmLanguageSongMusic DirectorCo-Singer
1941DevataTeluguEe Vasanthamu Nityamu KadoyiV. Nagayya
1948DrohiTeluguIdenaa Nee NyayamuPendyala Nageswara Rao
1949Mana DesamTeluguEmito Ee SambhandamGhantasalaC. Krishnaveni
Chalo Chalo RajaC. Krishnaveni
1950JeevithamTeluguIdena Maa DesamR. Sudharsanam
1950ShavukaruTelugu Ghantasala
1950Modati RathriTelugu Ghantasala
1951AnniTamilPoadaa Kanne Poayi Nee PaaradaaPendyala Nageswara Rao
1951DeekshaTelugu Pendyala Nageswara Rao
1951NiraparadhiTamilVidhiyaale Vanameha SeedhaiGhantasala
1951NirdoshiTelugu Ghantasala
1952ManavathiTeluguO Malaya PavanamaBalantrapu Rajanikanta Rao &
H. R. Padmanabha Sastry
R. Balasaraswathi Devi
1952PalletooruTeluguAa ManasulonaGhantasala
1953Naa IlluTelugu V. Nagayya & A. Rama Rao
1953Pichi PullayyaTeluguAvamanaalaku BaliavuthunnaT. V. Raju
Sokapu Tupaanu
1954AnnadataTelugu P. Adinarayana Rao
1954KudumbamTamil Pendyala Nageswara Rao
1954MenarikamTelugu Pendyala Nageswara Rao
1949NirupedaluTeluguAmmalaraa VinnaraaT. V. Raju
Eethele Ee Brathukintele
Eethele Ee Nirupedala
1955JayasimhaTeluguJeevitaminteleT. V. Raju
1957Panduranga MahatyamTeluguOh Daari KaananT. V. Raju
1957Manaalane Mangaiyin BaakkiyamTamilMogamadaa Thaalaadha ModamadaaP. Adinarayana RaoP. Leela
Kanee Nee Vaadaa Kaniye NeeP. Susheela
1957SarangadharaTeluguDhanalubdula VruddulaGhantasala
1957Sati AnasuyaTeluguKadilindi Ganga BhavaniGhantasalaGhantasala
1957Suvarna SundariTeluguNaa Chitti PapaP. Adinarayana RaoP. Susheela
1957Vinayaka ChavitiTeluguRaja PremajooparaGhantasalaP. Leela
Yashoda Kishora
1958Karthavarayuni KathaTeluguOkka KshnamG. Ramanathan & G. Aswathama
1958Raja NandiniTelugu T. V. Raju
1960Seeta Rama KalyanamTeluguSashtiryojanaGali Penchala Narasimha Rao
Padmaasane
Kowsalyaa Suprajaa
Sree Raaghavam
Hey Raama Raama
Mangalam
1975Sri Ramanjaneya YuddhamTeluguSaranamu Neeve SriramaK. V. Mahadevan
Amaraadhe
1988NeerajanamTeluguee visala prasanthaO._P._Nayyar

References

  1. Sarma, B. Prabhakara (6 December 2012). "World Telugu Conference: Then and now". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
  2. "Hymns for the lord". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 15 April 2005. Archived from the original on 3 September 2010.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.