With the view of honoring the unparalleled contribution of legendary singer SP Balasubrahmanyam to music and arts, some of the notable faces in the nation have been demanding the Central government to confer India's highest civilian honor - the Bharat Ratna to the singer, who demised on last Friday at the age of 74 in Chennai. 

On Monday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and requested the latter to confer Bharat Ratna on SPB for his contribution to music and arts. In his letter, Reddy said, "As a tribute to the legendary singer for his outstanding contribution in the field of music and art, I request you to confer Bharat Ratna award upon him". 

The Chief Minister reminded the Prime Minister that veteran singers like Lata Mangeshkar, MS Subbulakshmi, Bhupen Hazarika, Bismillah Khan, and Bhimsen Joshi were also bestowed with the Bharat Ratna and Jagan Mohan Reddy further stated that honoring India's highest civilian honor on SPB would be the highest recognition to his remarkable work which lasted for five decades and stays in our memory forever. 

Reddy highlighted the unparalleled contribution of SPB to music where the legendary singer had sung over 40,000 songs in multiple languages. In his letter, the Chief Minister said that SPB had won six national awards for best male playback singer, 25 Andhra Pradesh state Nandi awards for his work in Telugu cinema, and several awards and recognitions in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka during his career. 

The Chief Minister stated that the state of Andhra Pradesh is fortunate for being the birthplace of the legendary singer and his sudden demise had caused much distress to fans and celebrities in India and also had affected international music fraternity. According to reports, following Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, former Chief Minister of the state Chandrababu Naidu had also requested the Center to honor the singer. 

After Jagan Mohan Reddy has written to the Prime Minister on conferring the highest civilian honor on the departed singer, actor turned politician Kamal Haasan had welcomed it and thanked the Chief Minister of the neighboring state. Taking to Twitter, Kamal Haasan said, "Thank you Honourable CM of Andhra Pradesh. 
@AndhraPradeshCM. The honour you seek for our brother Shri.S.P.Balasubramaniam is a sentiment which true fans of his voice will echo, not only in Tamilnadu but throughout the whole nation".

Thank you Honourable CM of Andhra Pradesh. @AndhraPradeshCM.

The honour you seek for our brother Shri.S.P.Balasubramaniam is a sentiment which true fans of his voice will echo, not only in Tamilnadu but throughout the whole nation. pic.twitter.com/eSeC4MnR8p

— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) September 28, 2020

Earlier, veteran singer and one of the closest friends of SPB, Gangaiamaran and reputed Actor Arjun had made the requests to the Center for bestowing Bharat Ratna on the singer and with the request from a Chief Minister of the state, the call for honoring the singer has been going high across the nation and millions, whose lives the singer touched and inspired, have been welcoming the call and expecting that the phenomenal singer would be honored with the highest civilian award. 

Born in 1946 in Nellore, SP Balasubrahmanyam has already been conferred with national awards as in 2001, he was honored with the Padma Shri and in 2011, he was bestowed with Padma Bhushan. He has sung over 40,000 songs in multiple languages and on August 5, he was admitted to MGM Healthcare hospital in Chennai after he tested positive for the COVID-19 viral infection. 

He battled for survival nearly for 50 days and he had breathed his last on September 25 at the age of 74 due to cardiac arrest. He was laid to rest at his farmhouse in Thamaraipakkam on the outskirts of Chennai.