Sangeetha Sajith, a singer who has sung over 200 film songs in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages, passed away in Thiruvananthapuram early morning on Sunday, May 22. She was 46 years old and reportedly suffering from kidney-related ailments.
Sangeetha, who hails from Kerala, made her playback singing debut in Tamil with SA Chandrasekhar’s 1992 film Naalaiya Theerpu. Her song ‘Thanneerai Kadhalikum', composed by maestro AR Rahman for the Prabhu Deva film Mr Romeo, was quite popular during the mid 1990s. She has lent her voice to several melodious Malayalam songs such as ‘Ambili Poovattam Ponnuruli’, composed by Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri for the 1998 Malayalam film Ennu Swantham Janakikutty.She has also rendered a number of other popular songs including ‘Dhum Dhum Dooreyetho’ for the 2007 film Rakkilipattu, ‘Alare Govinda’ for Kakkakuyil (2001) starring Mohanlal, and ‘Odathandil Thalam Kottum’ for Mammootty’s Pazhassi Raja (2009). She was active in the industry until last year, when she sang the theme song of the Prithviraj Sukumaran starrer Kuruthi, composed by Jakes Bejoy. She had also sung the song Thalam Poyi for director Sachy’s Ayyappanum Koshiyum in 2020.
Jakes Bejoy paid his tribute to Sangeetha on Facebook, mentioning the two songs she had sung for him. “You were always so sweet and warm. It was a privilege I could work with you on this track,” he said in another post, sharing a link to the song ‘Thalam Poyi’ alongside. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and veteran singer KS Chithra also condoled Sangeetha’s death.
'Ambilipoovattam' from Ennu Swantham Janakikutty
A report on the New Indian Express said that the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had once gifted Sangeetha a gold chain, after listening to her sing KB Sundarambal's song ‘Gnana Pazhathai Pizhinthu’.
A native of Kottayam, Sangeetha had for long settled in Chennai. She leaves behind a daughter and two siblings. Her body would be cremated at the Santhikavadam in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday afternoon.