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{{Short description|Indian actor (1901–1975)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Kalyanam Raghuramaiah
| image = Kalyanam Raghuramaiah.jpg
| imagesize =
| birth_name = Kalyanam Venkata Subbaiah
| birth_date = 5 March 1901
| birth_place = Suddapalli village, [[Guntur district]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], India
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1975|2|24|1901|3|5}}
| death_place = [[Hyderabad]], India
| occupation = Actor<br>Thespian
| spouse = Savitri
| children = Thota Satyavathi (daughter)
| awards = [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] 1973<br>[[Padma Shri]] 1975
}}

'''Kalyanam Raghuramaiah''' (5 March 1901 – 24 February 1975), popularly known as '''Eelapata Raghuramaiah''', was an Indian actor, and thespian known for his works in [[Telugu cinema]], and [[Telugu theatre]]. A recipient of the [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]], and the [[Padmashri]], He was known for the roles of [[Krishna]] or Dushyantha, Bhavanisankar, Narada etc. He performed those roles for about 60 years. He indulged in elaborate raga alapana, based on different [[raga]]s while rendering padyams.<ref name="eenadu1">Article in Eenadu {{cite web |url=http://beta.eenadu.net/Cinema/Cinemainner.aspx?qry=gnapaka |title=Eenadu - the Heart and Soul of AndhraPradesh |access-date=2011-08-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011175247/http://beta.eenadu.net/Cinema/Cinemainner.aspx?qry=gnapaka |archive-date=11 October 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="thehindu1">{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/he-was-ahead-of-his-times/article4700920.ece |title=He was ahead of his times - Tirupati |work=The Hindu |date=10 May 2013 |access-date=2016-05-30}}</ref><ref name="blogspot1">{{cite web|url=http://pranaism.blogspot.in/p/blog-page_58.html |title=pranaism: తెలుగు నాటకరంగ ప్రముఖుల ఫోటోలు (సశేషం) |publisher=Pranaism.blogspot.in |access-date=2016-05-30}}</ref>

One of the finest method actors, he had the ability to sing padyams and songs through whistle, by putting his finger in mouth and producing the [[whistle]] or flute sound (meaning Eela in Telugu). He has acted in various dramas and gave more than 20,000 stage performances.<ref>20th Century Telugu Luminaries, Potti Sriramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad, 2005</ref> He was called the "Nightingale of the Stage" by [[Rabindranath Tagore]].<ref name="eenadu1"/>

==Early life==
Kalyanam Raghuramaiah was born in a [[Kapu (caste)|Kapu]] family<ref name=":5">M. L. Kantha Rao (July 1999), [https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/25437/ ''A Study of the Socio-Political Mobility of the Kapu Caste in Modern Andhra'']. [[University of Hyderabad]]. Chapter 6. p. 274. hdl:10603/25437</ref> in Suddapalli village of [[Guntur district]] and named as Venkata Subbaiah. He was popular during childhood days in playing Raghurama, hence named as Raghuramaiah by [[Kasinadhuni Nageswara Rao]].<ref name="thehindu1"/><ref name="blogspot1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://telugucineblitz.blogspot.in/2010/09/daksha-yagnam-1962.html?view=snapshot |title=Telugu Cinema Prapamcham: Daksha Yagnam (1962) |publisher=Telugucineblitz.blogspot.in |access-date=2016-05-30}}</ref>

==Early career==
He entered [[Telugu cinema]] in 1933 in the film ''[[Prudhvi Putra]]''. It is the fifth talkie film in Telugu cinema industry.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}} This is the 1st Telugu movie produced by Telugu person viz. Pothina Srinivasa Rao.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}} He acted as Krishna in many films including ''[[Sri Krishna Rayabaram]]'' (1960) and in the film ''Chintamani''.<ref name="thehindu1"/><ref name="blogspot1"/><ref name="indiontv1">{{cite web |url=http://www.indiontv.com/star-biography.php?title=kalyanam-raghuramaiah |title=Kalyanam Raghuramaiah |publisher=IndionTV |date=5 March 2013 |access-date=2016-05-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820194029/http://www.indiontv.com/star-biography.php?title=kalyanam-raghuramaiah |archive-date=20 August 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Personal life==
He married Savitri, second daughter of Rohini Venkata Subbaiah and Sitamma in 1938 at Bapatla. She inaugurated the statue of her husband Raghuramaiah at Chebrolu, Guntur district on 5 March 2013. At the age of 92 years i.e. on 8 December 2014 she died due to old age at Vijayawada. They have only one daughter viz. Thota Satyavathi, Son-in-law Thota Parvateeswara Rao.<ref name="thehindu1"/><ref name="blogspot1"/><ref name="indiontv1"/>

Their grand children are Dr. T.V.S. Gopal, Chintala Ratna, and Gangisetty Raja. His brother-in-law Rohini Venkaiah, Commercial Tax Officer (Retd.) and his wife Dr. Rohini Venkata Sundara Varada Rajeswari, Famous Devotional Writer of several books and Member Sree Hampi Virupaksha Vidyaranya Maha Samsthanam and their son Rohini Mahesh, Devotional Writer of several articles and Member Sree Hampi Virupaksha Vidyaranya Maha Samsthanam date of birth and his son Rohini Harish date of birth and Raghramaiah's date of death is same i.e. 24 February. He toured Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore with a drama troupe in 1972.<ref name="thehindu1"/><ref name="blogspot1"/><ref name="indiontv1"/>

==Death and popularity==
He died of a heart attack in 1975 at the age of 75 years. He was called the "Nightingale of the Stage" by [[Rabindranath Tagore]]. A well sheltered bronze statue of him was installed in his honor at Suddapalli village, his birthplace, on 14 February 2014 by his Eldest brother's son Sri. Kalyanam Narasimha Rao, Retd. Senior Manager, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Hyderabad and the statue was inaugurated by Sri. Mandali Budda Prasad, Chairman Official Languages, Andhra Pradesh.<ref name="eenadu1"/><ref name="thehindu1"/><ref name="indiontv1"/>

==Filmography==
{{Div col start}}
* ''[[Prudhvi Putra]]'' (1933)
* ''Bhakta Kuchela'' (1935)
* ''Lanka Dahanam'' (1936)
* ''Rukmini Kalyanam'' (1937)
* ''Pasupathastram'' (1939)
* ''[[Apavadu]]'' (1941)
* ''Talliprema'' (1941)
* ''[[Gollabhama (1947 film)|Gollabhama]]'' (1947)
* ''Madalasa'' (1948)
* ''Maya Rambha'' (1950)
* ''Mayapilla'' (1951)
* ''Prapancham'' (1953)
* ''Sati Sakkubai'' (1954) as [[Krishna|Lord Krishna]]
* ''Sri Krishna Tulabharam'' (1955/I) as [[Krishna|Sri Krishna]]
* ''[[Chintamani (1956 film)|Chintamani]]'' (1956)
* ''Sri Krishna Maya'' (1958)
* ''[[Sri Krishna Rayabaram]]'' (1960)
* ''Nagarjuna'' (1961/I)
* ''[[Usha Parinayam]]'' (1961) as [[Krishna|Lord Krishna]]
* ''[[Dakshayagnam (1962 film)|Dakshayagnam]]'' (1962/I) as [[Narada]]
* ''Valmiki'' (1963/I)
* ''[[Somavara Vrata Mahatyam]]''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Somavara Vratha Mahathyam (1963) |url=https://indiancine.ma/KXL |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=Indiancine.ma}}</ref> (1963) as [[Narada]]
* ''[[Mohini Bhasmasura 1966 Telugu Film|Mohini Bhasmasura]]''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mohini Bhasmasura 1966 Telugu Movie Cast Crew,Actors,Director, Mohini Bhasmasura Producer,Banner,Music Director,Singers & Lyricists |url=https://moviegq.com/movie/mohini-bhasmasura-5475/cast-crew |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=MovieGQ |language=en}}</ref> (1966) as [[Indra]]
* ''[[Sri Sri Sri Maryada Ramanna]]'' (1967)
{{Div col end}}

==Awards==
;National Honors
* [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] in 1973

;Civilian Honors
*He was awarded [[Padmashri]] by Government of India in 1975.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Art}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raghuramaiah, Kalyanam}}
[[Category:Telugu male actors]]
[[Category:Andhra University alumni]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]
[[Category:Actors from Guntur district]]
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]
[[Category:Indian male stage actors]]
[[Category:Male actors in Tamil cinema]]
[[Category:Male actors from Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:1975 deaths]]
[[Category:Male actors in Telugu theatre]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male actors]]

Kalyanam Raghuramaiah - Revision history

Associatedin21 at 09:55, 5 September 2025