CHENNAI, Dec 12: Popular Indian classical vocalist M.S. Subbulakshmi who died overnight due to age-related health problems was to be cremated according to Hindu rites on Sunday, a relative said.

Popularly known as MS, the 88-year-old singer had been under medical supervision at Saint Isabel's Hospital in this southern city for the past 10 days. Born in Madurai in southern Tamil Nadu state on September 16, 1916, Subbulakshmi learned classical music from her mother and gave her first public performance reciting "bhajans" or Hindu hymns at the age of 13.

One of her biggest hits was the "Venkateswara Suprabhatam" and she had willed the proceeds from its sales to the local Tirupati Balaji temple. She was credited with being able to reach out to millions of fans and others across the country, uninitiated into the complexities of classical south Indian Carnatic music with her melodious renditions. -AFP