Sithara Krishnakumar

Biography

Sithara Krishnakumar is an Indian playback singer, composer, lyricist, classical dancer and an occasional actor. She predominantly works in Malayalam cinema in addition to Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films. Sithara is a well known singer who is trained in Hindustani and Carnatic classical music traditions and is also a recognised ghazal singer. She is the recipient of several awards which includes three Kerala State Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer.
She travels extensively and has performed in concerts and stage shows across the world. Folk and fusion being her other areas of interest. She has collaborated with various popular musical bands in Kerala as well as collaborated in many stage shows, which includes international shows as well. In 2014, she formed a musical band Eastraga, which focuses on a mix of female oriented songs backed by a team of renowned musicians. She is also part of the 6-member band named Sithara's Project Malabaricus, an independent venture which features contemporarised folk and classical songs.

Early life

Sithara was born at Vengara in Malappuram district of Kerala to K. M. Krishnakumar and Saly. Her mother is a Catholic. Born into a family inclined to classical arts, Sithara was introduced to the world of music as a child and started singing at the early age of four.
Sithara attended St. Paul's School, Tenhipalam, GMHSS Calicut University Campus School, and NNM Higher Secondary School, Chelembra. She did her graduation in English literature from Farook College, Kozhikode, and pursued her first master's degree in English Literature from the Calicut University campus, and later completed a second Master's degree in Hindustani Khyal Music from Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata.
Sithara married Dr. Sajish M., a cardiologist, on 31 August 2007, and the couple has a daughter, Saawan Rithu, born on 9 June 2013. The family resides in Aluva, Ernakulam.

Career

She started off her art life as a dancer and eventually became a playback singer. She was trained in Carnatic Music by Sri Ramanattukara Satheesan Master and Palai CK Ramachandran. Sithara also received extensive education in Hindustani Classical music from Ustad Fiyaz Khan. She is also a classical dancer trained by Kalamandalam Vinodini. For her multifaceted talents, she was accoladed with the Kalathilakam title in Calicut University Arts Festival for two consecutive years (2005 and 2006). She holds master's degrees in Hindustani Khyal Music and Vocal Music from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata.

Sithara started off her playback singing career in the year 2007 with the song Pammi Pammi in Vinayan's Malayalam film Athishayan. Formerly, she was the winner of several musical talent shows like Asianet Saptha Swarangal (2004), Kairali TV Gandharva Sangeetham (Seniors) and Jeevan TV Voice 2004. She also won Jeevan TV's 20 million Apple Megastars in 2008. She has gained a good reputation as a devoted Ghazal singer and a passionate stage performer of other vocal genres. She has worked with noted composers like Ouseppachan, M. Jayachandran, G. V. Prakash Kumar, Prashant Pillai, Gopi Sundar, Bijibal, Shaan Rahman and rendered her voice to over 300 film songs including Malayalam and other Indian languages. Her works are of various genres.

In 2017, she turned composer with the single Ente Akasham, Written by herself. The video which officially got released at a program held by Kerala State Women's Development Corporation to commemorate International Women's Day, picturized the life of night-time female workers.
She turned film music composer with the film Udalaazham along with Mithun Jayaraj. The film is produced under the banner Doctor’s Dilemma – a doctor's collective which includes her husband Dr. Sajish. M. She made a cameo appearance in the Malayalam film Ganagandharvan directed by Ramesh Pisharody.
On October 31, 2025, the Government of Kerala appointed Sithara as a member of the General Council of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy.

As playback singer

All songs are in Malayalam language unless otherwise noted.