S. Rajeswara Rao

S. Rajeswara Rao
Background information
Also known as	Saluri Rajeswara Rao
Born	11 October 1922 Sivaramapuram, India
Origin	Sivaramapuram, Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh, India
Died	25 October 1999(1999-10-25) (aged 77)
Genres	Indian film scores
Occupation(s)	Composer
Instrument(s)	Harmonium Tabla Dholak Mrudangam Flute Electric Guitar Piano Violin
Years active	1934–1986

Saluri Rajeswara Rao (11 October 1922 – 25 October 1999) was an Indian composer, multi instrumentalist, conductor, singer, and music producer known for his works predominantly in South Indian cinema.^[1] Regarded as one of the finest music composers, Rajeswara Rao's works are noted for integrating Indian classical music in Telugu cinema for over half a century.^[2]

In his recordings, Rajeswara Rao pioneered the use of light music in Telugu cinema. Rajeswara Rao's most rewarding assignments came from Gemini Studios, which he joined in 1940 and with which he remained for a decade.^[3] During this period he scored block buster music for film Chandralekha (1948 film). After leaving Gemini, he received an offer to provide music for B. N. Reddy's Malliswari in 1950; the songs were a hit. Vipranarayana (1954), Missamma (1955) and a host of other musical hits – more than a hundred in Telugu most of which won the National Film Awards for best film(s), and Tamil and a few in Kannada – followed. When Vijaya's Missamma (originally a Telugu film) was remade as Miss Mary in Bollywood, the film's soundtrack retained one of Rajeswara Rao's compositions.^[1]