Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao (Telugu: à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à°à° He was awarded the Padmashree. He was the voice of Telugu cinema for about a quarter of a century. He was the first playback singer in Telugu film. Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao was born in Choutapalli, Andhra Pradesh, India, near the town of Gudivada. His father, Gantasala Suryayaa, was a popular performer in the area. He was abandoned as a youngster and raised by his maternal uncle Ryali Pitchi Ramaiah. He studied music in a formal manner. continue reading
