For more than four decades, a singer has been enthralling the music lovers with her mellifluous singing soaked in sweetness leaving her fans in eternal bliss. K S Chithra, known as the nightingale of Kerala, celebrates her 61st birth day on July 27. The music world and fans are flooding in to wish the star who has given the world countless songs to enjoy. Fans hope to listen to her melodies for another hundred years.

In 1979, she made her Malayalam playback singing debut with the film 'Attahasam' directed by M. G. Radhakrishnan. The film was released a year later. Her first song, ‘Arikilo Akaleyo,’ was from the film ‘Novemberinte Nashtam,’ directed by Padmarajan. Chithra's first solo hit was 'Rajani Parayu,' penned by Sathyan Anthikad and composed by M. G. Radhakrishnan for the film 'Njan Ekananu.' After the hit song ‘Aalorungi Arangorungi' from the 1983 film ‘Ente Mamattukkuttiyammakku,’ Chithra's career soared. She has sung more than 15,000 songs in various languages ​​including Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Oriya, Hindi, Bengali, and Assamese.

Chithra has received six national awards. Her first National Award came in 1986 for the song 'Padariyen Padippariyen' from the movie 'Sindhu Bhairavi.' In 1987, she won her second National Award for the song 'Manjal Prasadavum' from the film 'Nakhakshathangal.' She won her third National Award in 1989 for 'Indupushpam Choodi Nilkkum' from the film ‘Vaishali.’ Chithra received her fourth National Award in 1996 for 'Maana Madurai' from the Tamil film 'Minsara Kanavu.' In 1997, she won her fifth National Award for 'Payalay Chunmun Chunmun' from the Hindi film 'Virasat.' Her sixth National Award came in 2004 for the song 'Ovvoru Pookalume' in the Tamil film ‘Autograph.’

In addition to 16 state awards, Chithra has also received accolades from the Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Odisha governments. In 2005, she was honored with the Padma Shri award.