BeauGleason6763 at 09:18, 16 March 2026

2026-03-16T09:18:31Z

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{{short description|Indian playback singer and politician}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2021}}{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{BLP sources|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Daleema Jojo
| native_name = Daleema Jojo
| image = Daleema.png
| birth_name = Daleema John Arattukulam
| office = Member of [[Kerala Legislative Assembly]]
| constituency = [[Aroor Assembly constituency|Aroor]]
| term start =
| predecessor = [[Shanimol Usman]]
| party = [[CPI(M)]]
| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|30 May 1965}}
| birth_place = [[Ezhupunna, Kerala]], India
| occupation = Playback singer, Politician
| term_start = 24 May 2021
}}
'''Daleema John Arattukulam''' (born 30 May 1965) is an Indian playback singer and politician. She is popular for her Christian as well as Hindu devotional songs and made her debut as a playback singer in the [[Malayalam]] music industry through her title song ''"Thechi Malar Kadukalil"'' composed by [[Raveendran]] in the 1997 movie Kalyanappittannu.<ref>{{Cite web|last=whykol|title=Kalyanappittennu Plot, Story, Reviews, Wiki, Ratings, Cast, Crew And Box Office Collection|url=http://www.whykol.com/movies/|access-date=11 June 2020|website=WhyKol|language=en-US|archive-date=4 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504010117/http://www.whykol.com/movies/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Her hit Malayalam songs include ''"Manjumasa Pakshi"'' from [[Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu|Krishnakudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu]] and ''"Ee Thennalum Thingalum"'' from [[Nee Varuvolam]]. On 2015, She was duly elected and sworn in [[Alappuzha]] [[District Panchayat]] as District Vice President.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jojo|first=Daleema|date=|title=Daleema to contest in Local Body Elections – Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/music/Daleema-to-contest-in-Local-Body-Elections/articleshow/49383043.cms|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504010117/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/music/Daleema-to-contest-in-Local-Body-Elections/articleshow/49383043.cms |archive-date=4 May 2021 |access-date=11 June 2020|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> Currently, she is an [[M.L.A]] representing [[Aroor]] constituency.

== Early life ==
Daleema was born on 30 May 1969, as the youngest daughter to John Arattukulam and Ammini John. From a very young age she sang with her brothers and sisters in the village church choir. She decided to pursue singing after her pre-degree and under the guidance of Ramankutty master, she trained in [[Carnatic music]] for eight years.

== Career ==

Daleema began her career by singing on stage shows. Through Kolping Society, she had the chance to sing on international programmes and shows in [[Germany]], Italy and Rome for the Keralites who lived there. She sang in her first Christian devotional album which was composed by [[Berny–Ignatius|Berny Ignatius]], and thereafter singing in over 5,000 Christian devotional albums. In 1995 she bagged a NANA Award for her song "Venal Poompular Vela" in the album ''Thapasya'' by [[Manorama Music]]. In the same year she sang for Sariga Audios for an album covering [[S. Janaki]]'s old songs. Through these notable works, she entered the Malayalam film industry by singing in the hit movie [[Kalyanappittennu|Kalyanappittannu]] directed by [[K. K. Haridas|K.K Haridas]] and furthermore singing in almost 20 other movies, a couple of Malayalam serials and around 100 Malayalam professional dramas. She won 3 [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi|Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy]] state awards in the years 2001, 2003 and 2008, for the best singer, and also bagged 2 Drishya awards. She also dubbed many songs in Kannada and Telugu and sang in almost 2000 stage shows in the country as well as in Europe, America and in [[Gulf Countries]]. In 2015 she was fielded by the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] to Local Self Government Institution election in Kerala and elected as the Vice President of [[Alappuzha]] District Panchayath Council. In 2021, she was elected to [[Kerala Legislative Assembly]].

== Discography ==
Following is a partial discography
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Song
!Film/Album
!Music director
!Co-singer(s)
|-
|1997
|''"Thechi Malar Kadukalil"''
|Kalyanappittanu
|[[Raveendran]]
|[[Krishnachandran]]
|-
|1997
|''"Manjumasa Pakshi"''
|[[Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu]]
|[[Vidyasagar (composer)|Vidyasagar]]
|[[K. J. Yesudas|K.J. Yesudas]]
|-
|1997
|''"Eee Thenalum Thingalum"''
|[[Nee Varuvolam]]
|[[Johnson (composer)|Johnson]]
|
|-
|1997
|''"Manjil Mungum Maamarathil"''
|Gajaraja Manthram
|[[Berny–Ignatius|Berny-Ignatius]]
|[[K. J. Yesudas|K.J. Yesudas]]
|-
|1997
|''"Neerani Kaatte Nadodi"''
|[[Aavani Kanavukal|Avani Kanavukal]]
|[[Bombay Ravi]]
|
|-
|1997
|''"Kaana Kattin Tharivala Ilaki"''
|[[Aattuvela]]
|[[Raveendran]]
|[[Biju Narayanan]]
|-
|1997
|''"Kaneer Thudaykuvan Ammayundo"''
|Chandana Varnatheru
|Vijay Kumar
|
|-
|1997
|''"Moham Poothameniyil"''
|Sneha Swanthanam
|Vijay Kumar
|
|-
|1997
|''"Sundara Swapnathin Poonchirakil"''
| Sneha Swanthanam
|Vijay Kumar
|[[Biju Narayanan]]
|-
|1998
|''"Devalokamano"''
|[[Manthri Kochamma]]
|[[Mohan Sithara]]
|Manoj Krishnan
|-
|1998
|''"Koodevide Koodevide Oh Mridule" [F]''
|[[Manthri Kochamma]]
|[[Mohan Sithara]]
|
|-
|1998
|''"Oru Thulli Pala Thulli"''
|[[Sreekrishnapurathe Nakshathrathilakkam|Sreekrishnapurathe Nakshathrathilakam]]
|[[Berny–Ignatius|Bery-Ignatius]]
|[[K. J. Yesudas|K.J. Yesudas]], [[K. S. Chithra|K.S. Chithra]]
|-
|1998
|''"Kakka Penne"''
|[[Kalapam]]
|[[Berny–Ignatius|Berny-Ignatius]], Prem Sagar, [[Thoppil Anto]]
|[[M. G. Sreekumar|M.G. Sreekumar]]
|-
|1998
|''"Kaathuvachoru Kalathilakkam"''
|Grama Panchayathu
|[[Berny–Ignatius|Berny-Ignatius]]
|[[M. G. Sreekumar|M.G. Sreekumar]]
|-
|1998
|''"Raakkaviletho Kulirkkattupole"''
| Grama Panchayathu
|[[Berny–Ignatius|Berny-Ignatius]]
|[[K. J. Yesudas|K.J. Yesudas]]
|-
|1999
|''"Nilaavo Neermizhi Thaamarayil"''
| English Medium
|[[Raveendran]]
|
|-
|1999
|''"Vellaramkunnathu"''
| English Medium
|[[Raveendran]]
|
|-
|2000
|''Priya Priya''
|[[O Priye]]
| Sidhartha Vijayan
|
|-
|2000
|''Chempakame Kaananathil''
|[[O Priye]]
| Sidhartha Vijayan
|
|-
|2000
|''Kanna Njaan''
|Ente Priyappetta Muthuvinu
|[[Raveendran]]
|
|-
|2005
|''Nallavanaaye''
| Chathrapathi
|[[M. M. Keeravani|MM Keeravani]]
|
|-
|2008
|''Devi Kavyamohini''
|Mohitham
|Thilak Sreemoolanagaram
|[[Biju Narayanan]]
|-
|2008
|''Raga Vathi''
|Mohitham
| Thilak Sreemoolanagaram
|[[Biju Narayanan|Biju Naryaanan]]
|-
|2011
|''Valampiri Shankil''
| Kochi
|Sasi Thripunithra
|
|-
|2014
|''Kaalidarumbol''
| Mummyude Swantham Achoos
|Bharathlal
|
|}

== Personal life ==
Daleema is married to George Joseph (Jojo) and they have two children.

== Political career ==
Daleema entered into electoral politics by contesting [[Aroor]] division of [[Alappuzha district|Alappuzha]] [[District council (India)|District council]] as a [[Left Democratic Front (Kerala)|Left Democratic Front]] candidate in [[2015 Kerala local elections]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Daleema CPM Candidate in Aroor Division|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2015/oct/14/daleema-cpm-candidate-in-aroor-division-829225.html|access-date=2021-03-22|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> She won the elections and was sworn in as Vice President of the Jilla Panchayath.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2015-11-20|title=Singer Daleema sworn in vice president|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/singer-daleema-sworn-in-vice-president/article7898651.ece|access-date=2021-03-22|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> She again contested local polls from same constituency in [[2020 Kerala local elections]] and won the elections.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Staff Reporter|date=2020-11-10|title=LDF announces candidates' list for district panchayat|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/ldf-announces-candidates-list-for-district-panchayat/article33068111.ece|access-date=2021-03-22|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Daleema defeated the nearest rival candidate [[Shanimol Usman]] of the [[Indian National Congress]] by a margin of 6842 votes and was elected to [[2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly]]. She is the first playback singer to be elected to the [[Kerala Legislative Assembly]].

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian playback singers]]
[[Category:Members of the Kerala Legislative Assembly]]

Daleema - Revision history

BeauGleason6763 at 09:18, 16 March 2026