30 February 2009
Hyderabad

Prabhakar Choudary Kakarala, President of Telugu Association of North America (TANA), announced that the 2009 TANA Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to the famous Telugu singer, music director, actor, and television host Sri S.P. Balasubrahmanyam. The award will be presented to Sri Balasubrahmanyam at the 17th TANA Conference to be held at Rosemont Convention Center (Chicago) on July 2, 3, and 4, 2009.

Since 1999, TANA has been presenting Lifetime Achievement Awards at its biennial North American Telugu Conferences to eminent Telugu people that have scaled the pinnacles of their chosen field. Previous Awardees include Srimathi P. Susheela, Sri Vempati China Satyam, Sri D. Ramanaidu, Professor C.R. Rao, Sri Velagapudi Dutt, Professor Velcheru Narayana Rao, and Sri Gummadi Venkateswara Rao.

Sri Sripathi Panditaaraadhyula Balasubrahmanyam, popularly known as S.P. Balasubrahmanyam or SPB, was born on June 4, 1946 in Konetammapeta in the Nellore district of the state of Andhra Pradesh. His father, Sri S.P. Sambamurthy was a well-known exponent of Harikatha. Sri Balasubrahmanyam was passionate about music from his early days, and pursued it even as he was studying engineering. In 1964, Sri Balasubrahmanyam won the first prize in a music competition for amateur singers organized by the Madras-based Telugu Cultural Organization, and earned his first opportunity from music director SP Kodandapani in 1966 in the film Sri Sri Sri Maryada Ramanna. Since then, Sri S.P. Balasubrahmanyam has sung over 36,000 songs in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi and Malayalam. He holds the Guinness record for the most number of songs rendered by a male singer. Much loved by everyone in the film industry, Sri S.P. Balasubrahmanyam is highly regarded by musicians and composers for his versatility and virtuosity. Despite a vigorous singing career spanning 4 decades, Sri S.P. Balasubrahmanyam has donned several other avatars, giving his best in every one of them and enjoying the variety of the experience to the full. He has acted in more than 70 movies, composed music for 47 films, and produced 4 films. He has been the host of many popular television shows in Telugu starting with Paaduthaa Theeyagaa in mid 1990s.

Among the many honors previously received by Sri S.P. Balasubrahmanyam are the Padmashri Award from the President of India, a doctorate from the Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, five National Awards for Playback Singing, beginning with his song Omkaaraa naadaanusandhamou… from the film Sanakraabharanam in 1979, 21 Nandi Awards from the Government of AP, the Kalai Mamani Award from the Government of Tamilnadu, and several Filmfare Awards.