M. Ranga Rao: Difference between revisions

| name           = M. Ranga Rao

| image           = M.RangaRaoImg.jpg

| caption         =

| image_size     =

| origin         = [[Andhra Pradesh]], India

| instrument     =

| birth_date     = {{Birth date|1932|10|15|df=yes}}

| birth_place     = [[Andhra Pradesh]]

| death_date     = {{Death date and age|1990|08|03|1932|10|15|df=yes}}

| death_place     = [[Bangalore]], [[Karnataka]]

| genre           = [[Film score]], Theatre

| occupation     = Composer, music director, instrumentalist

| years_active   =

| label           =

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'''M. Ranga Rao''' (15 October 1932 – 3 August 1990) was a prominent Indian composer who predominantly worked in [[Kannada cinema]]. He was known for his mellifluous scores and lilting tunes backed with strong classical nuances.

Ranga Rao was born in a small village in [[Andhra Pradesh]] on 15 October 1932. He learnt the art of playing [[Veena]] instrument at a very young age. His inspiration was his mother, Rangamma. He graduated in Diploma in Mechanical Engineering stream.

M. Ranga Rao was married to Syamala Devi and they have 2 sons (M. Mahankali Rao & M Rama Krishna Rao) and 2 Daughters (Sathya Vani & Naga Lakshmi). His wife, Syamala, died five months after her husband's death, on [[Republic Day (India)|Republic Day]] in 1991.

Rao entered the film industry as a small-time actor in the films ''Swarga Seema'' (1945) and '' Yogi Vemana'' (1947). He worked as a veena player in the 1946 released film ''[[Tyagayya (1946 film)|Tyagayya]]''.

However, he entered the Kannada film industry as a full-fledged composer from the film ''[[Nakkare Ade Swarga]]'' in 1967. This also marked the beginning of the legendary playback singer [[S. P. Balasubramanyam]], who went on to rule the playback industry for many more decades. Ranga Rao introduced (his relative) Balasubramanyam to Kannada films by offering him a duet song alongside the veteran singer [[P. Susheela]].<ref>http://www.hindilyrix.com/singers/singer-balasubramanyam.html</ref>

Along with composing numerous songs in Kannada, he also composed a few in [[Telugu language|Telugu]], [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and [[Malayalam]] languages, most of them being the dubbed works of his Kannada songs.

Ranga Rao died of cancer on 2 August 1990, aged 58. He was cremated in a crematorium in Bengaluru. He and his wife are survived by their four children, children-in-law and grandchildren.

*[[Vijaya Bhaskar]]

*[[T. G. Lingappa]]

*[[Bangalore Latha]]