Swarnalatha (29 April 1973 – 12 September 2010) was an Indian playback singer.In a career spanning almost twenty-two years (1987-till her death), sherecorded over 7,000 songs in many languages including Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu, Bengali, Oriya, Punjabi and Badaga . She won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer forher rendition of the song "Porale Ponnuthayi" from the film Karuththamma. The song was composed by A. R. Rahman, under whose musical direction she recorded manymemorable songs. And she was the first female playback singer to get a NationalAward In AR Rahman Music. Her distinctive voice, which could effortlessly reachhigh octaves, quickly made her a name to reckon with in the playback musicindustry.