RIP SPB: He had special bond with hometown Nellore

NELLORE: Legendary playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam, who settled in Chennai after entering the film industry, maintained a special bond with his home town, Nellore, throughout his life. SPB, who was born on June 4, 1946 to Panditharadhyula Samba Murthy and Sakunthalamma in Konetammapeta village of Madras Presidency (present day Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh), was raised in Nellore city.

Balasubrahmanyam unveiled a bronze idol of his father, who was a popular Harikatha performer, at Kasturi Devi High School on September 24, 2019. He attended the Tyagaraja Jayanti every year in Nellore which was celebrated on a grand scale ever since it was started by his father, a popular Harikatha exponent.

Further, he also started offering lifetime achievement awards to people who excel in music since 2018 in connection with his birthday celebrations every year. He felicitated playback singers Balasaraswathi and S Janaki in June 2018 and presented awards to them. He continued to honour people from various fields.

SPB donated his house at Tipparajuvari Street in the heart of the city to Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham for running a Vedic school. He invited the seer of Kanchikamakoti Peetham Sankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Swami to his house and handed it over in February this year.

The Department Nellore of Posts released a special cover with the image of SPB on November 1, 2018 at the Golden Jubilee Hall in Nellore city in the presence of the singer. In memory of his friend Y Kameswar Rao, Balasubrahmanyam also organised musical events every year at the Rebala Sundararami Reddy Town Hall in Nellore city.

“Balasubrahmanyam celebrated his 72nd birthday at his birthplace Konetammapeta in 2017 with the villagers. After his family moved to Nellore city, he used to visit a gramophone record shop on Trunk Road at the age of 15 to listen to songs. Later, he went to Madras for higher studies,” said KV Chalamaiah, Rotarian and Vice-President of the All India Arya Vysya Association.

Another friend of SPB, Paturu Srinivasulu of Nellore city said, “Balasubrahmayam along with his friends Srinivasulu and Kammaiah used to practice singing sitting in Swatantra Park close to Trunk Road. We used to stage theatre performances during 60’s.’’