Ilaiyaraaja’s Daughter Passes Away

Legendary music composer Ilaiyaraaja’s daughter and playback singer Bhavatharini passed away today evening after battling liver cancer. She had sought treatment at a private hospital in Sri Lanka but succumbed to the illness at 5 pm in the evening.

Bhavatharini began her career as a singer with ‘Raasaiya. Later, she lent her voice to numerous compositions for her father and brothers Karthik Raja and Yuvan Shankar Raja. In 2002, Bhavatharini began composing with Revathy’s ‘Mitr, My Friend.’ Her last music album was for the Malayalam film ‘Maayanadhi.

Bhavatharini won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the Tamil song ‘Mayil Pola Ponnu Onnu’ from the film ‘Bharathi.’ She crooned many hit songs in Tamil. Despite the efforts from the medical team, she breathed her last in Srilanka, where she is undergoing treatment.

Bhavatharini, aged 47, is survived by her husband. The final rites are scheduled to be held in Chennai on January 26.