Expressing dissatisfaction over the number of people from South India figuring in the Padma awards list for 2013, southern playback singer Sreeramamurthy Janaki Friday refused to accept Padma Bhushan award announced for her on the eve of 64th Republic Day,
"I'm saddened by the fact that north India has been given more prominence than south India. I'm extremely disappointed and I refuse to accept the award," Janaki told IANS.
The 74-year old veteran made her singing debut in 1957 Tamil film "Vidhiyin Vilayattu". She has crooned over 15,000 songs in a career spanning five decades across all southern languages and in Hindi.
She has a long association with singer S.P. Balasubramanyam. The two have sung more than 1,000 songs together.
She has won four National Awards and the prestigious "Kalamamani" state award of Tamil Nadu.
Comments(49)
Well done Janaki Amma. It is hightime all self-respecting people, threw their Padma Awards at Delhi's face. Like what Director BharathiRajaa did in 2009: he threw the PadmaShri award after India armed Srilanka and did Genocide of 50,000 Eelam Tamils in 2009. In any case the Padma Award has no value. The whole list is has to be 'Approved' by guess who? Sonia Gandhi. It is like getting Coolie or Bribe from Delhi fellows, the Worthless Hindians.
Posted by Raghu. RA Puram, Chennai at 01/26/2013 03:55 Reply to this Report abuse
It is true that Padma awards have no value and are influenced by ruling party. But refusing the awards on basis on North and South discrimination is sickening. It just belittles her stature. Madam, please come up with a better reason. Please don't divide the country....
Posted by Bala. G. at 01/26/2013 05:19 Reply to this Report abuse
@Bala SJ is not dividing the country. It is the Northies that are dividing the country. Kajol and Saif Ali Khan received Padmashri 2 yrs back. Saif Ali Khan is a known blackbuck poacher. Also, Sridevi deserved it long before Kajol was even born. IMHO, even Sridevi should follow suit.
Posted by Rajan at 01/26/2013 05:53 Reply to this Report abuse
Balaji, She is not dividing the country....She should have been given at least Padma Vibhushan ?? long time ago....not this Padma??? when she is 74...you may say better late than never which is not right....Bharat Ratna for Rajiv Gandhi ??? There is nothing wrong if the country is divided...
Posted by vinod kuamr at 01/26/2013 05:54 Reply to this Report abuse
All your vies are accepted sir. Points Taken. but the last. You say It is okay if the country is divided. But lets look at it, why is it okay? Just because "some" Politicians have divided it ? Just because they fail to acknowledge the beauty in the diversity that is India? Pardon me sir, but I am not able to understand your views. Don't we "together" constitute India? As for Rajiv Gandhi, again its politics. We together will have to change all this. As is said, they exploit only because we cooperate. They divide us and we get divided.
Posted by Hemang at 01/26/2013 12:00 Report abuse
Calling all southerners MADHRASIS in a derogatory tone , spending all development money in and around DELHI and dumping used railway coaches on unsuspecting southern railway users, giving rajaya saba seat to mrs. rekha ganesan to spite JAYA bhachan BY sonia OVER THE HEADS OF EMINENT SOUTH INDIAN ARTISTS.Sivagi Ganesan though acongress man was studiously ignored by north lobby, given only reluctantly balance period of rajya sabha MP on the death of a north indian actor. Ignoring and abetting genocide of TAMILS in SRILANKA. list is endless
Posted by needhidevan at 01/26/2013 10:25 Reply to this Report abuse
Madam, your opinion is true. But I would like to riquest you noy devide the country on the basis of north-south. In border, our soldiers are fighting together against foreign enemies. Please accept it.
Posted by Prolay Goswami at 01/26/2013 10:35 Reply to this Report abuse
Unless we permit the cognition of the symptoms, we can not identify and cure a disease. Why the response of the central govt to the killing of TN fishermen and Kerala fishermen are different? Why every Railway minister favours his/her state in the budget?etc etc. Unlike other spineless VIPs digesting the diseases with the symptoms, Janaki, at her old age, had displayed unusual courage to expose the disease of favouritism in the functioning of the central government.All who support objective transparent governance shall congratulate Janaki.
Posted by gandhi at 01/26/2013 11:53 Reply to this Report abuse
YES I fully endorse your views.THese awards are just political looks like.
Posted by sethu at 01/26/2013 14:29 Reply to this Report abuse
Hats off to Janaki garu. Thank god that at least now they have given PADMASRI to Sri Devi.
Posted by Nagaraj at 01/26/2013 06:24 Reply to this Report abuse
Well done janaki ammaa! The award will get value, only when you accept that!!!!
Posted by Jeyaseelan from Denmark at 01/26/2013 20:21 Reply to this Report abuse
India is already divided into innumerable states based on languages which was Nehru's legacy. He went against Patel's vision and look at India's condition now. The problem hasn't stopped. People want Telengana, Vidharba and many more are yet to come. It is like giving a beautiful garland to a monkey. It will rip the garland apart in no time. The Brits took over 200 years to unify the princely states and create India. Our politicians with vested interests have torn it apart in less than half a century. Parliament is dominated by north Indians based on population concentration. The 4 major, illiterate, lawless and totally backward states of Rajasthan, UP, MP, Bihar and offshoots have more than 50% representation in the federal parliament (purely based on population). Their uncultured MPs rule the other states including the educated and progressive southern states. How can one accept awards given by such ill qualified mob sitting in the parliament? Janaki is right in refusing the award.
Posted by karamirch at 01/26/2013 06:24 Reply to this Report abuse
The reason for not accepting is not correct. Does she want it for others of her choice
Posted by skr at 01/26/2013 06:40 Reply to this Report abuse
Seeker of cheap publicity
Posted by Lala at 01/26/2013 06:45 Reply to this Report abuse
Janaki does not need Padma or refuse Padma for publicity. In fact publicity gets its mileage out of such greats.
Posted by sita at 01/26/2013 09:48 Reply to this Report abuse
She should not only have rejected the award but issued a statement that she would accept it under the condition that no North Indian will receive it for the next 10 years. I respect the great singer's decision. She indeed has guts unlike her other South Indian fellow artistes.
Posted by Guru at 01/26/2013 06:49 Reply to this Report abuse