He was the first Kannadiga to win a National Award for playback singing

Bengaluru: Noted Kannada singer Shivamogga Subbanna passed away following a heart attack at a hospital here on Thursday night. He was 83.

He is survived by his wife, son Sriranga and daughter S. Bageshree, who is Resident Editor of The Hindu, Karnataka.

Shivamogga Subbanna was the first Kannadiga to win a National Award for playback singing for his song ‘Kaadu Kudure Odi Banditta’ in the film ‘Kaadu Kudure’. He gained a lot of popularity by rendering songs written by Jnanpith Award-winning Kannada poet Rashtrakavi Kuvempu. He became a household name in Karnataka after he sang ‘Baarisu Kannada Dindimava, written by Kuvempu.

He was also a singer with Akashvani and Doordarshan and had worked as an advocate.

Hailing from a family of musicians and scholars, G. Subramanya, popularly known as Shivamogga Subbanna, in his initial days of singing, people often confused him with singer late S.P. Balasubramanyam, as their names sounded familiar. It was due to this reason that poet Lakshminarayana Bhat gave him the name Shivamogga Subbanna.

Subbanna sang many songs penned by Shishunala Shariff, including ‘Kodagana Koli Nungitta’, ‘Alabeda Tangi Alabeda’ and ‘Biddiyabbe Muduki’ and made them popular. In 2008, he received Hon. Doctorate from Kuvempu University in Shivamogga.