Salur Rajeswara Rao

Salur Rajeswara Rao was born on 11th of October in the year 1922. He was a multi-instrumentalist,  composer, actor, singer, songwriter, musician, and music producer. He was well-known in the South film industry.

He has integrated Indian Classical music for over half a century in Telugu Cinema Some of the songs in Telugu cinema are written by his father. These are “Kopamela Radha,” "Thummeda Oka Saari," "Podarintilona," "Challa Gaalilo,” “Rave Rave Koyila,” etc. In the year 1940, Salur joined Gemini studios which were his most rewarding assignment, and he remained with it for a decade.

In the year 1950, he got an offer from B.N. Reddy to provide music to his film named “ Malleeswari Malleswari is a Telugu TV series aired on Maa Tv f >> Read More... ” which was released in the year 1950. The song was a big hit. He has also given many other hit songs in Kannada, Tamil and Telugu as well, most of which have won National Film Awards The National Film Awards gets presented every year >> Read More... . A Telugu film named “ Missamma 20th November 2011 was the release date for Missam >> Read More... ” was also made in Bollywood as “Miss Mary,” but the composition was the same as given by Rao. Salur Rajeswara Rao was born in Vizianagaram near Salur in a village of Sivaramapuram, Andhra Pradesh, India. His father’s name was Sanyasi Raju who was a well-known mridangam player.

He used to play mridangam at concerts of Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu. He was also a lyricist. At the age of four, Rao learned Carnatic music Ragas. At the age of seven, he started doing stage performances. Rao’s talent was spotted by Huchins which is a recording company and the former, along with his father went to Bangalore where he recorded “Bhagwat Gita.”

Impressed by Rao’s singing, Gudavalli Ramabramham and P.V. Das who were the producers, asked him to go to Madras. In the year 1934, they cast him in their film named “ Sri Krishna Leelalu Sri Krishna Lilalu serial is being telecasted on E >> Read More... ” as Lord Krishna. The film got released in the year 1935. From this, Rajeshwara Rao became popular among audiences of Andhra Pradesh. Rao got married to Rajeswari Devi. They both had four daughters and five sons. His eldest son name was Saluri Ramalingeswara Rao who was an electric organ player and also a piano player in the south film industry. His second son name was Saluri Poornachandra Rao who was a guitarist. Saluri Vasu Rao and Saluri Koteswara Rao Saluri Koteswar Rao (also known as Koti) is a musi >> Read More... were his third and fourth son respectively, and they have also worked in the Telugu film industry as music directors. His youngest son named “Saluri Koti Durga Prasad is not in the film industry.”

He has won many Awards like Honorary doctorate by Andhra University, award from Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram - Kalaimaamani, Award from Andhra Pradesh- Raghupathi Venkaiah Award for his contribution to Telugu cinema etc. In the year 1980, he was awarded Nandi Award in the category of Best Music Direction for “Sri Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari Mahathmyam.” He died on 25th of October in the year 1999.