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P. Jayachandran
Jayachandran performing atKollam
Background information
Born	Paliyath Jayachandrakuttan (1944-03-03)3 March 1944 Irinjalakuda,Kingdom of Cochin,India (currently Irinjalakuda,Thrissur, Kerala, India)
Died	9 January 2025(2025-01-09) (aged 80) Thrissur, Kerala, India
Genres	Playback singing
Occupation	Singer
Instrument	Mridangam
Years active	1965–2025
Website	jayachandransite.com

Paliyath Jayachandran (3 March 1944 – 9 January 2025) was an Indian playback singer and actor. He collaborated with composers,G. Devarajan,M. S. Baburaj,V. Dakshinamoorthy,K. Raghavan,M. K. Arjunan,M. S. Viswanathan,Vijaya Bhaskar,Ilaiyaraaja,Koti,Shyam,A. R. Rahman,M. M. Keeravani,Vidyasagar andM Jayachandran.^[1] Over the course of his career, he recorded more than 16,000 songs in multiple languages and appeared in a few films.^[2]

In 1986, he won theNational Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer and also wonKerala State Film Award five times. In 2020, he was awarded theJ. C. Daniel Award, the highest award inMalayalam cinema, for his outstanding contribution toMalayalam cinema. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest expression singers in South India.^[3] He also won 2Tamil Nadu state film awards.^[4]

Jayachandran died fromliver cancer in Thrissur, Kerala, on 9 January 2025, at the age of 80.^[5][6][7][8] He was cremated with full state honours at his ancestral home in Chendamangalam, North Paravur, Kerala on 11 January 2025.^[9] He is also known for his contributions to the filmsAthiran,Ennum Eppozhum,Bharya swantham suhruthu,Kerala Cafe, etc.

Jayachandran was born in Paliyath palace atIrinjalakuda,Thrissur, on 3rd March 1944, and his family later moved toRavipuram inEranakulam District.^[10] He is the third of five children of the late Ravivarma Kochaniyan Thampuran, a member of theCochin royal family, who was himself a musician, though never a professional singer, and the latePaliyath Subhadrakkunjamma, and also the second of their three sons.^[11] His siblings were late Sudhakaran (1940–1990), late Sarasija (1942–2018), Krishnakumar (born 1946) and Jayanthi (born 1948).

Jayachandran was a student of the National High School,Irinjalakuda, from where he received many prizes for playing the mridangam and light music in the State School Youth Festival.^[12] He then studied at theChrist College, Irinjalakuda, completing his degree inZoology.^[13]

Jayachandran married Lalitha fromThrissur in May 1973. They have a daughter named Lakshmi and a son named Dinanath, who also sang for films.^[14]

Jayachandran metK. J. Yesudas in 1958 when he participated in the state youth festival.Yesudas won the Best Classical Singer award, and Jayachandran won the BestMridangist award in the same year.

Jayachandran won aNational Award, fiveKerala State Awards and fourTamil Nadu State Awards. He recorded songs inMalayalam,Tamil,Kannada,Telugu andHindi.

In 1967, he sang the evergreen song "Anuragaganam pole", composed byM.S. Baburaj, for the filmUdhyogastha, directed byP. Venu. Later together,P. Venu and Jayachandran produced more hits like "Ninmaniarayile"C.I.D. Nazir 1971 and "Malayala Bashathan"Prethangalude Thazhvara 1973. Jayachandran received theKerala State Film Award for Best Singer in 1972 for the song "Neelagiriyude ('Suprabhaatham')" for the filmPanitheeratha Veedu. Its music was done byM. S. Viswanathan. The year 1978 brought him another Kerala State award, this time for the song "Ragam Sreeragam" from the filmBandhana, composed byM. B. Sreenivasan. In 1985 he received theNational Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the song "Sivasankara Sarva Saranya Vibho" from the filmSree Narayana Guru, composed byG. Devarajan. The song "Prayam Nammil", from the filmNiram, brought him a third Kerala state award in 1998. In 2015 he received the next state award for his songs in Jilebi andEnnu Ninte Moideen46th Kerala State Film Awards. In 1975, he sang for theMalayalam moviePenpada (with music byR. K. Shekhar) a song called "Velli then Kinnam Pol", regarded as the first composition of the then 9-year-old Dileep Shekhar, now more widely known asA. R. Rahman.^[15]

Jayachandran worked in close collaboration with the composerIlayaraja, producing numerous popular hits in theTamil language, including "Raasaathi Unna", "Kaathirundhu Kaathirundhu" (both from the 1984 releaseVaidhegi kaathirundhaal), "Mayanginen Solla Thayanginen" (from the 1985 releaseNaaney raaja naaney mandhiri), "Vaalkaiye Vesham" (from the 1979 releaseAarilirundhu Arubathu Varai), "Poova Eduthu Oru" (from the 1986 releaseAmman Kovil Kizhakaaley) and "Thaalaattudhey Vaanam" (from the 1981 releaseKadal Meengal). In 1994, he received theTamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Singer for the song "Kathazham Kattuvazhi" for the filmKizhakku Cheemayile, composed byA. R. Rahman. As a recognition of his contribution to Tamil film music, he was honoured with the 1997 Kalaimamani award of the Tamil Nadu Government.

Jayachandran was honoured with theSwaralaya Kairali Yesudas award at the beginning of 2001, which he was the first person to receive. The motive behind this award is to choose the best from the singers and lyricists, within a span of 30 years. He has sung nearly 1000 songs forMalayalam movies over the years, according to the MSI information database.

Jayachandran sang inHindi for the first time in 2008 for the movieADA...A Way of Life along withAlka Yagnik, with music scored byA. R. Rahman.

• "Uravodu Vaazhum" –Deiva Tharisanam
• "Nanbanukkaga" –Deiva Tharisanam
• "Nilavum Thoongum" –Thaagam
• "Ponmaalai Neram" –Thaagam
• "Amaidhiyin Thoothanay" –
• "Enathu Vizhiyil Unathu Paarvai" –
• "Amaithi Thedi Alaiyum Nenjame" –Paathai

( This list contains only a few top songs sung by Jayachandran. He has sung thousands of songs in Malayalam and a larger list is available at the malayalam wiki-pagehttps://ml.wikipedia.org/wiki/പി._ജയചന്ദ്രൻ)

• "Manjalayil Mungi Thorthi" –Kalithozhan
• "Aalilathaaliyumaayi" -Mizhi Randilum
• "Aaraarum Kaanaathe" -Chandrolsavam
• "Keranirakalaadum" -Jalolsavam
• "Shishirakaala Meghamidhuna" -Devaraagam
• "Therirangum Mukile" –Mazhathullikilukkam
• "Olanjali Kuruvi" –1983
• "Ithaloornnu Veena" –Thanmathra
• "Praayam Nammil" -Niram
• "Harshbashpam Thooki" –Muthassi
• "Malarvaka kombath" –Ennum Eppozhum
• "Kathayamama" –Kerala Cafe
• "Ariyathe Ariyathe" –Ravanaprabhu
• "Pattil Ee Pattil" –Pranayam
• "Sharadambaram" –Ennu Ninte Moideen
• "Mannappm chuttu" –Marubhoomiyile Aana
• "Veendum Makara nilavu" –Bharya swantam suhruthu
• "Podi meesha" –Pa Va
• "Poonellin kathirola" -Nothing but life
• "Neeyoru Puzhayayi" –Thilakkam
• "Poove Poove" –Devadoothan
• "Aaru Paranju" –Pulival Kalyanam
• "Mazhavannu" –Puzhikkadakan
• Aatuthottil –Athiran
• "Kalabhachuvaru Vecha Meda" –Aval Oru Thudar Katha
• "Peyneer Poley" –Otta
• "Premikumbol neeyum njanum" –Salt N' Pepper
• "Kannil kaashi" –Dreams
• "Enthe Innum Vanneela" –Gramophone
• "Njaanoru Malayalee" –Jilebi

• "Kala mattomme Namagagi (Kiladigalu)"
• "Alukade Balukutha (Kiladigalu)"
• "Savira Hoogalali (Suvarna Sethuve)"
• "Uyyale Adona Banniro (Dharani Mandala Madhyadolage)"
• "Uppina Saagaraku (Masanada Hoovu)"
• "Sridevi Madhavi Kannota Beda (Ganeshana Madhuve)"
• "Premada Shruthi Meetide (Ganeshana Maduve)"
• "Manasu Kaleyithu (Raithana Makkalu)"

• Pranayamarmaram – 2009.

• "Milo Wahan Wahan" (from movieADA, Debut song inHindi)

Krishna Parunthu 1979 movie^[16]

.Nakhakshathangal – As Neighbour – Directed by Hariharan^[17]

.Trivandrum Lodge – As Narayanan Nair – Directed by VK Prakash^[18]

Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback (1983) – directed byKG George as himself in the song scene"Prabhaamayi, Prabhaamayi"

National Film Awards

• 1985 –Best Male Play Back Singer for the Malayalam filmSree Narayana Guru

Kerala State Film Awards

• 1972 –Best Male Play Back Singer for the song "Suprabhatham" in the filmPani Theeratha Veedu
• 1978 – Best Male Play Back Singer for the song "Ragam Sreeragam" in the filmBandhanam
• 1999 – Best Male Play Back Singer for the song "Prayam Nammil" in the filmNiram
• 2004 – Best Male Play Back Singer for the song "Neeyoru Puzhayaay" in the filmThilakkam
• 2015 – Best Male Play Back Singer for the songs "Njaan Oru Malayali", "Malarvaka Kombathu", "Sharadambaram" in the filmsJilebi,Ennum Eppozhum,Ennu Ninte Moideen
• 2020 –J. C. Daniel Award for his outstanding contributions to Malayalam cinema^[3]

Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

• 1994 –Best Male Playback Singer – for the song "Kattazham Kattuvazhi" in the filmKizhakku Cheemayile
• 1997 –Kalaimamani award byTamil Nadu Government for 30 Years in Tamil Film Music

Asianet Film Awards

• 2001 –Best Male Playback –Raavanaprabhu
• 1999 – Best Male Playback –Niram

Other awards

• 1958 – First place inMridangam and Second place inLight music competitions atKerala School Kalolsavam^[19][20]
• 2000 –Swaralaya Kairali Yesudas Award^[21]
• 2011 –Kamukara Award instituted by Kamukara Foundation^[1]
• 2014 –Harivarasanam Award^[22]
• 2014 –K. P. Udayabhanu Award by K. P. Udayabhanu Foundation^[23]
• 2015 –Kerala Film Critics Association Award for Best Male Playback Singer –Sharadambaram (Ennu Ninte Moideen)
• 2017 –MazhavilMango Music Award for Best Singer –Podimeesha (Pa Va)
• 2021 – Lifetime Achievement Award byMazhavil Music Awards^[24]
• 2022 –K. Raghavan Master Foundation Award for his comprehensive contribution to the field of music.^[25]
• 2022 – Geetham Sangeetham National Award instituted by the Geetham Sangeetham Kalasamskarika Vedi, is given for overall contribution to music.^[26]
• 2022 –Sreekumaran Thampi Foundation Award^[27]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toPaliyath Jayachandran.

• Official website
• P. Jayachandran atIMDb
• P. Jayachandran discography atDiscogs

• 1944 births
• 2025 deaths
• Best Male Playback Singer National Film Award winners
• Kerala State Film Award winners
• Indian male playback singers
• Tamil Nadu State Film Awards winners
• Recipients of the Kalaimamani Award
• Singers from Kerala
• Tamil-language playback singers
• Malayalam-language playback singers
• Kannada-language playback singers
• Telugu-language playback singers
• Malayali people
• People from Irinjalakuda
• Film musicians from Kerala
• 20th-century Indian male singers
• 21st-century Indian male singers
• Deaths from liver cancer in India

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