Hassan hotel owner honours S. Janaki with a book written in 2013

Veteran playback singer S. Janaki has thousands of fans but unique among them is Hassan-based HS Ravi, who runs a small hotel in the town and has penned a book on the legendary singer.

Also read: S. Janaki’s last rites in Mysuru

Mr. Ravi was interested in films and music since his childhood and won many awards for his singing in school; Most of these were because she sang Janaki’s songs. His passion for music and deep appreciation for her voice later led him to collect information about her life and career. Over the years he has traveled to different places, reached out to many people in the music industry and collected material. The information he collected increased so much that he finally decided to compile it in a book.

Thanks to contacts in the music field, Mr. Ravi managed to arrange a meeting with Janaki in Bengaluru before he started writing. He asked for his permission and blessings for the project. “He accepted my idea and gave me one condition: that I should not misrepresent the names of any musical director or singer in the book. He specifically insisted that I not disrespect any of them,” he recalled.

‘Kannada Campinali Gaana Kogile Dr. Cover page of the book ‘S. Janaki’. | Photo Credit: Special Editing

Samvahana, a publishing house in Mysuru, published the book titled. Kannada Campinali Gaana Kogile Dr. S.Janaki In 2013.

The book was well received by Janaki’s fans. “Janaki has sung the highest number of film songs in Kannada among all languages. This is the first time she has lent her voice for a song in a Kannada film. Sri Krishna Garudi and then we prepared a full song Rayaru Bandaru. From then on, he went on to sing hundreds of Kannada songs and won the hearts of Kannada listeners,” said Mr. Ravi.

After the book was published, Mr. Ravi had the opportunity to meet Janaki again and personally gave her a copy. “This was a moment of great satisfaction for me,” he said. She also runs a YouTube channel of Kannada songs, many of which are interpreted by Janaki herself.

On Sunday, July 12, 2026, after learning about the singer’s demise, Mr. Ravi went to Mysuru to pay his last respects. Ravi, 54, lives in Hassan with his wife Vanajakshi and their two children.