Type National Instituted 1968 First awardees P. Susheela Cash award 50,000 INR (US$790) | Category Indian Cinema First awarded 1968 Established 1968 Total awarded 47 | |
Description Best Female Playback Singer for feature film for a year Medal Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) People also search for | ||
En kelvikkenna uyarntha manithan
The National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer is an honour presented annually at the National Film Awards of India since 1968 to a female playback singer for the best renditions of songs from soundtracks within the Indian film industry. Throughout the years, accounting for ties and repeat winners, the Government of India has presented a total of 45 Best Female Playback Singer awards to 23 different female playback singers.
Until 1974, winners of the National Film Award received a commemorative plaque and certificate; since 1975, they have been awarded with a "Rajat Kamal" (silver lotus), certificate and a cash prize that amounted to ₹50,000 (US$740) in 2013. The first recipient was P. Susheela, who was honoured at the 16th National Film Award (1968) for her renditions from the Tamil film Uyarntha Manithan. The singer who won the most number of Rajat Kamal awards is K. S. Chithra with six wins, followed by P. Susheela with five. As of 2013, two singers—S. Janaki and Shreya Ghoshal—have won the award four times, and two—Lata Mangeshkar and Vani Jairam—have won it thrice. The award has been won twice by Asha Bhosle, Alka Yagnik and Arati Ankalikar-Tikekar. S. Janaki, K. S. Chithra, and Shreya Ghoshal have won the award for their renditions in three different languages. Shreya Ghoshal is the sole recipient of the award for two different songs in the same year in two different languages. Uthara Unnikrishnan is the youngest winner, picking up the award at the age of 10 for the rendition of a song from the Tamil film Saivam (2014). No award was given for this category in 1973.