Life story
From SPB cassettes in Nellore to stages abroad
Ramu Maharajapuram grew up in the same town as S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, learned to sing from his cassettes, and became the voice that recorded SPB's songs before SPB did. This is his story, year by year.
In his words marks moments Ramu has described in interviews. Everything else is from published records.
Nellore beginnings
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A family of singers in Nellore
Ramu grows up in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, a town he calls “Balu sir's town” because SPB came from there too. His father performs temple puja, and his brothers and sisters all sing at home. “Maharajapuram” is simply the family surname. The family deity is Murugan of Tiruttani.
In his words Cineulagam · IBC Bakthi
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Five hours a day at the cassette shop
A friend runs an audio shop. Every day from 4 to 9 p.m. Ramu sits there listening to SPB's songs and writing down the lyrics. He later studies music formally for about three years.
In his words Aadhan Cinema
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On stage with the Sapthaswara Orchestra
He starts singing Telugu film songs on stage in Nellore with the Sapthaswara Orchestra, and is soon travelling for programmes. One trip, to Bombay around 1995–96, takes him on to Shirdi, where he later sings before the Sai Baba samadhi twice.
In his words Cineulagam · IBC Bakthi
The breakthrough
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Paadutha Theeyaga, ETV
His breakthrough comes on SPB's own television singing show, Paadutha Theeyaga, in the year it begins. People in the industry, among them composer G. Anand, see him and ask him to come to Chennai.
Lotus Times, 2019 · In his words Aadhan Cinema
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Chennai, and the first album
Ramu moves to Chennai and becomes a track singer, recording the guide vocals composers use to teach a song before the final take. He sings Telugu tracks for Bharadwaj, G. Anand and Vasu Rao. The same year his first devotional album, Sivasthuthi Hara Om Namahsivaaiah, is released on the Jayasindoor label.
In his words Cineulagam · JioSaavn
Singing for SPB
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SPB asks who sang the track
Back home in Nellore, Ramu is introduced to SPB at a wedding. SPB asks whether he had recently sung a track, and tells him it was very well sung. His first guide track for SPB, for a Telugu film song composed by Madhavapeddi Suresh, sounds so like SPB that the recording team remarks on it. By his own count he goes on to sing 200–300 guide tracks for SPB.
In his words Cineulagam
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Lessons from SPB
Ramu watches SPB mark every breath in a song and rehearse before each take, giving a small song the same care as a big one. SPB encourages him to sing every song proudly, however small, because they share the same microphone. When Ramu tells him how happy he is to sing SPB's songs, SPB answers that it is Ramu who keeps his songs alive.
In his words Cineulagam
Two Nandi awards
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Nandi TV Award, Best Male Playback Singer
The Government of Andhra Pradesh names him Best Male Playback Singer in its Nandi TV Awards for the serial Mano Yagnam, whose music director is Vasu Rao. The award is presented in 2002.
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A devotional catalogue grows
Vinayaka Bhajans (2001), Malakonda Malyadri Swami (2003) and Seetha Rama Bhajana Geethalu (2004) follow, many honouring shrines around Nellore. His co-singers on these albums include S. Janaki and S. P. Vasantha Lakshmi.
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A second Nandi TV Award
He wins Best Male Playback Singer again, for the title song of the serial Thrisoolam, receiving a Copper Nandi. The award is presented in 2008.
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“Kevvu Keka” in Attarintiki Daredi
Ramu sings the whole comedy version of “Kevvu Keka” in Trivikram's blockbuster Attarintiki Daredi, with music by Devi Sri Prasad. Pawan Kalyan, Brahmanandam and Ali perform it on screen. It is an in-film song, so it does not appear on the released soundtrack album.
Official video, Aditya Movies · confirmed by his family
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Twenty-five years of singing
A profile describes him as an “SPB specialist” with about 2,000 programmes in India and abroad and some 5,000 devotional songs. It also reports a recognition award presented by Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu.
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Honoured in Hyderabad
At Sri Thyagaraya Gana Sabha in Hyderabad, he is honoured at a Brindavanam event with a plaque that pictures him beside SPB.
Event plaque, 12 March 2020
After SPB
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The day SPB passed away
Ramu is at home with his wife and son when the news comes, and he falls from the sofa to the floor in shock. For him it is like losing someone from his own family. He goes to pay his last respects, and to this day his home begins every morning with SPB's songs. Two weeks later, tribute videos of Ramu singing SPB's songs are published.
In his words Cineulagam · Tribute video
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Tamil stages open up
Until now he has sung mainly for Telugu audiences. After the lockdown he begins regular Tamil stage programmes in Chennai with light-music orchestras such as Gopal Sapthaswaram.
In his words Cineulagam · “Iruvizhiyin”
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“Dabbu”, Partner (Telugu)
He sings “Dabbu” with composer Santhosh Dhayanidhi on the Telugu soundtrack of Partner, released by Sony Music.
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A wave of new albums
Ayyappa, Perumal, Amman and Shiva albums appear on Jayasindoor and Nadham Music Media, including Harihara Thanayudu Ayyappa and Annamalai Manasasmarami.
A voice rediscovered
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“The singer with SPB's exact voice”
Tamil outlet Cineulagam publishes a podcast with him that passes 160,000 views. IBC Bakthi and Aadhan Cinema follow with long interviews, the latter billing him as “SPB Ramu”. That year he also releases singles he composed himself.
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Margazhiyil Thuyil Elum Madhavan
An album of Thiruppaavai and Perumal songs, released on Real Music. Later in the year his reprise of “Idam Maarum Nerame” appears on the Tamil soundtrack Kasthuri Veedu.
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“Meendum Oru SPB”, Trichy
He headlines an SPB evening at Devar Hall with the Enoch Rhythms Band.
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Atlanta: “SPB Manasaputra”
At a Sankara Nethralaya USA gathering in Georgia, he leads a Hindi, Tamil and Telugu medley with local singers. The chapter president introduces him as “SPB Manasaputra”, SPB's spiritual son.
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Greater Toronto, Canada
He is guest celebrity singer at the 25th annual show of the SAREGA Music School of Fine Arts, and receives a plaque showing him with SPB and with “our guru G. Anand sir”.
“Balu sir is my guru, my godfather, my everything.”Ramu Maharajapuram, Cineulagam Podcast, 2025 · translated from Tamil