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Upendra Kumar was born on 18 July, 1941 in Madras, Madras Presidency, British India, is an Indian music composer. Discover Upendra Kumar's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 61 years old?

Popular As N/A
Occupation Composer, music director, instrumentalist
Age 61 years old
Zodiac Sign Cancer
Born 18 July, 1941
Birthday 18 July
Birthplace Madras, Madras Presidency, British India
Date of death 2002
Died Place Bangalore, India
Nationality India

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 18 July. He is a member of famous artist with the age 61 years old group.

Upendra Kumar Height, Weight & Measurements

At 61 years old, Upendra Kumar height not available right now. We will update Upendra Kumar's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
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Who Is Upendra Kumar's Wife?

His wife is H. P. Geetha

Family
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Wife H. P. Geetha
Sibling Not Available
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Upendra Kumar Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Upendra Kumar worth at the age of 61 years old? Upendra Kumar’s income source is mostly from being a successful artist. He is from India. We have estimated Upendra Kumar's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income artist

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Timeline

1941

Upendra Kumar (18 July 1941 – 24 January 2002) was an Indian composer who predominantly worked in Kannada and Odia films.

He was known for his strong association with Rajkumar and his family and scored some of his career best compositions for the films featuring Rajkumar and his sons.

He had scored for 210 films including Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Tulu films.

Kumar originally hailed from Digapahandi, a town in the present-day Odisha State of India.

He was born in 1941 in Madras (now Chennai) in British India to a Telugu-speaking brahmin family.

His father, Lakshman Swamy was an astrologer.

Kumar studied up to seventh Grade and shifted towards music learning with the help of his uncle, Apparao.

He underwent rigorous training in Hindustani classical, Western instrumental and Indian string instruments.

He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Indian classical music, Odissi music and sitar from the Utkala College of Music and Dance.

Upon completion of his graduation, he left for Madras looking for opportunities.

Once in Madras, Kumar took music classes in vocals and the sitar.

1966

An impressed film director Y. R. Swamy, with his "teaching methodology and his flair for music", signed him to score for his 1966 film Katari Veera, which had Rajkumar playing the lead role.

Two tracks from the soundtrack album, "Chengu Chengendu Haaruva" and "Haayaada Ee Sangama" became popular.

As a composer, Kumar blended Odia folk music in Kannada film soundtrack.

1972

Songs from films for which he scored that became popular included Sipayi Ramu (1972), Premada Kanike (1976), Shankar Guru (1978), Dharmasere (1979), Ravichandra (1980), Kaamana Billu (1983), Ratha Sapthami (1986), Nanjundi Kalyana (1989), Hrudaya Haadithu (1991), and Jeevana Chaitra (1992).

Kumar frequently collaborated with Rajkumar who playback-sung many songs for films that mostly starred himself, and picturised on him.

They included Dharitri (1972), Mana Akasha (1974), Punarmilana (1977),"Kavi Samrat Upendra Bhanja"(1978) and Alibha Daga (1980).

His music became very popular in Odisha.

1990

Kumar won the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Music Director three times (for Nanjundi Kalyana, Hrudaya Haadithu and Jeevana Chaitra) before he stopped composing for films in the mid- to late-1990s.

1992

Popular numbers of this combination included "Chinna Baalalli", "Love Me or Hate Me" and "Cheluveya Nota Chenna" from Shankar Guru, "Idhu Rama Mandira" from Ravichandra, "Indu Aananda" from Kaamana Billu, "Lakshmi Baaramma" and "Manavanaagi Huttidamele" from Jeevana Chaitra, "Naliyuthaa" from Hrudaya Haadithu and "Saptapadi Idu Saptapadi" from Saptapadi (1992).

Other collaborations included with singers C. Aswath ("Negilahidida" from Kaamana Billu), Manjula Gururaj ("Olage Seridare Gundu" from Nanjundi Kalyana) and S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, who also sang many non-film devotional songs composed by Kumar.

"Naadamaya" from Jeevana Chaitra fetched Rajkumar the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer.

Lyrics for most tracks of the Upendra Kumar–Rajkumar combination were written by Chi. Udayashankar.

The mandolin and the sitar were prominently used in Kumar's instrumentation, and he was particularly fond of Kafi raga with melodies deriving from that scale.

"Idu Yaaru Bareda Katheyo" from Premada Kanike was based on this raga.

2002

His health deteriorated during this time and died in 2002 with the Kannada film Vishwamithra (2001) being his last work.

Srikanth Srinivasa of Deccan Herald, in a tribute, wrote of Kumar's last days, "With the advent of new wave music directors, Upendra Kumar was relegated to the background and found himself out of work and forgotten by the Kannada film industry. Besides, he has scored music for Dharma Devathe which was released recently. He has also scored music for Dr. Rajkumar's private devotional albums."

Alongside Kannada, Kumar notably worked also in Odia films and scored for more than 25 films.

Upendra Kumar died on 24 January 2002 of jaundice in Bangalore, aged 60.

2009

A book titled Sajala Smruti was released in 2009 in memory of Kumar's work in Odia films.

Kumar was married to H. P. Geetha, sister of Kannada film actress H. P. Saroja.