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Days after the passing of composer Deva on October 17, followed by the death of his nephew, actor Karthik Sabesh, three days later, the Tamil entertainment industry has lost another musical figure. Playback singer Krishnaraj Ramasamy, whose work with Deva was widely known, passed away in Chennai at the age of 75.
Ramasamy is best remembered for 'Thanjavooru Mannu Eduthu', composed by Deva for the film Porkkaalam (1997), which earned him the Tamil Nadu State Government Award for Best Playback Singer. The song's reach went beyond Tamil cinema when it was played at the state funeral of Singapore’s former President Sellapan Ramanathan, who was of Tamil descent.
Among those who offered condolences were Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and actor Vijay and actor R Sarath Kumar.
CM and actor Vijay wrote on X, " I was shocked and deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing of Mr. Krishnaraj, the renowned playback singer of Tamil cinema."
He added, "With his unique voice and songs brimming with enthusiasm, playback singer Mr. Krishnaraj had captivated the hearts of his fans. His demise is a great loss to Tamil cinema. I convey my deepest condolences and comfort to his grieving family, relatives, friends, film industry colleagues, and all music lovers."
Sarath Kumar, who has acted in several films featuring tracks from the singer, fondly remembered their collaborations. "The demise of the renowned playback singer Krishnaraj brings immense sorrow. In Tamil cinema, his voice graced over 300 songs, and the songs I acted in—“Paasamulla Sooriyane” from the film Vinnukkum Mannukkum, “Thaayae Thirisoolee” from Simmarasie, “Sokku Sundari” from Moovendar, “Karuda Karuda” from Natpukaga, the sorrowful song from Meesaikkaara Nanban, and “Naalu Vaarthai Pesalaiae” from Periya Kaaval Thozhil—remain close to my heart."
The actor and politician extended his condolences to Ramasamy's loved ones, writing, "Through the richness of his voice and his emotionally charged renditions, he will forever live in the hearts of music lovers, and his passing is an irreplaceable loss to the world of music. While praying to the divine for his soul to attain peace, I convey my deepest condolences to his grieving family, relatives, fellow artists, and all music practitioners who mourn his loss."
The playback singer is known to have sung over 3,000 songs throughout his career, with over 300 tracks for Tamil films. After studying music in college, Ramasamy assisted music composer R Ramanujan for a film that never released. He went on to work on many more films and projects, among which were collaborations with composer Sirpy, for whom he sang in Vinnukkum Mannukkum (2001) and Banda Paramasivam (2003).