Narendra Modi pays tribute as singer Shivamogga Subbanna dies at 83

Bengaluru, Aug 12: The last rites of noted Kannada singer Shivamogga Subbanna, who died at a hospital here on Thursday night following a cardiac arrest, were performed with full police honours.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda were among the host of leaders who condoled the death of the 83-year-old singer.

''The exceptional Shivamogga Subbanna was a household name for those who love Kannada songs and music. His works are admired and so are his efforts to connect gems of Kannada poetry with the present generation. Pained by his demise,'' Modi said in a tweet.

Bommai, several of his cabinet colleagues, and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa were among those who paid their last respects to the mortal remains of the national award-winning singer at Ravindra Kalakshetra, where it was kept for the public to pay their tributes on Friday.

Thereafter his body was consigned to flames at the Banashankari crematorium here, amid full police honours, accorded by the state government, as a mark of respect.

Survived by his wife, son, and daughter, 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''.

Known for his work in the field of 'Sugama Sangeetha', a genre in which poetry in Kannada is set to music, Subbanna has worked on and sung poetries of famous poets such as Jnanpith awardees Kuvempu and Da Ra Bendre, and got several awards and honours.

He in fact 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 and a notary.

Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, several political leaders and literary figures are among those who condoled his demise.