SP Charan collected the award. (Image courtesy: DD National)

New Delhi:

Singer and music director SP Balasubrahmanyam was awarded the Padma Bhushan posthumously for his contribution to the world of Art at New Delhi’s Rashtrapati Bhawan on Tuesday morning. The award was collected by the late singer’s son SP Charan. Singer KS Chithra, with whom SP Balasubrahmanyam sang several duets, received the Padma Bhushan.  The Padma awards for the years 2020 and 2021 are being presented by President Ram Nath Kovind in four batches over two days. SP Balasubrahmanyam, or SPB as he was known to fans and colleagues, died in September last year after contracting COVID-9. He was 74. SPB, beloved for his mellifluous voice, was also an actor and filmmaker. His son SP Charan is a singer and producer.

SP Balasubrahmanyam received the Padma Shri in 2001 and the Padma Bhushan in 2011. He also won six National Awards in addition to other government honours and film industry prizes.

Delhi: Playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam awarded the Padma Vibhushan award posthumously. His son receives the award. #PadmaAwards2021pic.twitter.com/HlSQGYmpxv

— ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2021

SP Balasubrahmanyam sang over 40,000 songs in 16 languages in his storied and prolific career. He worked closely with several composers but was best-known for his collaborations with Ilaiyaraaja and AR Rahman. The actors his voice was most often associated with were Rajinikanth and Kamal Haaasan down South and Salman Khan in Bollywood.

Recipients of Padma honours for 2020 from the film industry include actress Kangana Ranaut, filmmakers Karan Johar and Ekta Kapoor and singer Adnan Sami who received their Padma Shri awards at Rashtrapati Bhawan in two batches on Monday. Mr Sami’s Padma Shri has been somewhat controversial – the Pakistani-origin singer became an Indian citizen in 2016 and his award was widely criticized when the honours list was announced in January.