Andhra CM seeks Bharat Ratna for SPB, Kamal Haasan says 'fans echo similar sentiment'

Veteran actor Kamal Haasan on Monday extended gratitude to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for seeking to honour late legendary vocalist SP Balasubrahmanyam with the Bharat Ratna.

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Haasan shared Andhra CM’s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to confer the highest civilian award as a tribute to the renowned musician who passed away in Chennai on Friday, September 25. Haasan said that the true fans of SP Balasubrahmanyam echo a similar sentiment not only in Tamil Nadu but throughout the nation.

READ | Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy: 'SP Balasubrahmanyam Must Be Bestowed With A Bharat Ratna'

In his letter to PM Modi, Andhra Pradesh CM Reddy said, the State is fortunate for being the birthplace (Nellore) of great music maestro SP Balasubrahmanyam. The unending saga of his staggering achievements goes beyond music. With his talent, SPB has lifted compositions to a sublime level, he added.

Acknowledging Balasubrahmanyam’s outstanding contributions to the global music industry and his remarkable work which lasted for five decades, Jagan Mohan Reddy requested the Prime Minister to honour him with Bharat Ratna as a tribute to the legendary singer. Earlier, Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy also requested the Union Cabinet to grant late SP Balasubrahmanyam a posthumous Bharat Ratna award. He appealed to PM Modi for the same while calling the demise of the late singer 'a great loss for the art world' and that he 'must be bestowed with a Bharat Ratna'

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SP Balasubrahmanyam’s legacy

SP Balasubrahmanyam was one of the most celebrated singers of the Indian film industry. He is popular for his work in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, and Malayalam films and has recorded over 40000 songs in various regional languages. The late singer holds the Guinness World Record for having the biggest number of recorded songs.

SPB has received a number of awards with the most prestigious ones being Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. He secured to his name six National Film Awards, six Filmfare Awards South, and one Filmfare Award in the due course of his career.

READ | SP Balasubrahmanyam Laid To Rest At Chennai Farmhouse With 24-gun Salute By TN Police

SP Balasubrahmanyam succumbed to COVID-19 on September 25, 2020, after a month-long battle at the ICU of MGM Healthcare in Chennai. He was 74 years old. The veteran singer is survived by his wife Savitri Balasubrahmanyam and his children SP Charan and Pallavi Balasubrahmanyam. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah among other politicians offered condolences on the death of the renowned musician.

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