Bhavatharini passed away in 2024, aged 47, after a long battle with cancer. She was in Sri Lanka undergoing Ayurveda treatment for cancer, when she passed away on 25 January 2025.
Published Feb 13, 2025 | 4:39 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 13, 2025 | 5:36 PM
Ilaiyaraaja with Bhavatharini. (X)
Legendary music director Ilaiyaraaja has announced that he will soon be forming an all-girls orchestra in honour of his late daughter, National Award-winning singer Bhavatharini. He noted that an all-girls orchestra was her last wish.
Bhavatharini passed away in 2024, aged 47, after a long battle with cancer. She was in Sri Lanka undergoing Ayurveda treatment for cancer, when she passed away on 25 January 2024.
Ilaiyaraaja announced on Wednesday, 12 February, at an event held on the occasion of her birth anniversary.
According to a Cinema Express report, Ilaiyaraja speaking at the event said, “Bhavatharini’s last wish was to start a girls’ orchestra. Two days ago, when I was in Malaysia, several girl groups sang before me. When I saw it, I remembered what my daughter Bhavatharini had told me.”
“Girl students – both school and college students – who are not over 15 years alone will be a part of this orchestra. I am to select them. I have selected two orchestras in Malaysia itself. Girls from anywhere in the world can be a part of this orchestra. I intend to make this orchestra provide a musical feast to the masses forever. Auditions will be held and candidates will be selected. I intend to create such an orchestra and I will announce it at an appropriate time. I am making the announcement here today about my decision to set up such an orchestra,” he added.
On 25 January, the first death anniversary of Bhavatharini, Ilaiyaraja through a voice message remembered his daughter.
He said, “Today is the day our dear Bhavatha left us all. She was the epitome of love. After her death, I understood how she was full of love. But my attention has always been on work, and I couldn’t spend time with my children. To think that my agony is now music that people enjoy consoles me a little.”
— Ilaiyaraaja (@ilaiyaraaja) January 25, 2025
Bhavatharini sang several songs composed by her father. She received the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the song “Mayil Pola Ponnu Onnu” from the film Bharathi (2000), composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
She is survived by her husband R Sabariraj, her father, Ilaiyaraaja, and her siblings, Karthik Raja and Yuvan Shankar Raja.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
