Description:
Basava Rao Aiyangar (born 15 October 1952), known professionally as Basava, is an Indian singer-songwriter, composer, and philanthropist. He has composed and sung over 1500 songs in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi. He is also a philanthropist, and has founded several charitable organisations. Basava was born in a Telugu-speaking family in a small town in the state of Andhra Pradesh. He started singing at a young age, and his first public performance was at the age of eight. Basava's early music was influenced by the Carnatic music of M. S. Subbulakshmi, and the folk music of India. Basava's first album, 'Basava Ratna', was released in 1976. He achieved national and international acclaim for his songs, and his albums sold over 50 million copies. He has won several awards, including the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award and the Jnanpith Award. Basava is a devout Hindu, and his songs are often about Hindu mythology and philosophy. He has also written songs about social issues, such as the exploitation of labourers. Basava is married to Sitaram Basavaiah, a former actress and singer. They have two children.
