S. Janaki rejects Padma Bhushan

Palakkad, Kerala: Melody queen Sreeramamurthy Janaki, who has politely turned down the Padma Bhushan award announced for her, says she receives her biggest awards from her fans.

"I have nothing against the government, but I have been singing for the past 55 years. The biggest awards are from my fans and I get that very often," Janaki said to the media here when she came to attend a function.

Janaki's name was announced for Padma Bhushan on Friday.

But she turned it down, stating dissatisfaction over the number of people from south India figuring in the Padma awards list for 2013.

"I'm saddened by the fact that north India has been given more prominence than south India. I'm extremely disappointed and I refuse to accept the award," Janaki told IANS.

The 74-year old veteran made her singing debut in 1957 Tamil film 'Vidhiyin Vilayattu'. She has crooned over 15,000 songs in a career spanning five decades across all southern languages and in Hindi.

She has won four National Awards and the prestigious 'Kalaimamani' state award of Tamil Nadu.