B. Saroja Devi is an Indian actress. A popular actress in the South Indian cinema, she was the recipeint of the Padma Bhushan award and won many critically acclaimed awards for different languages. She was popular in Kannada and Tamil movies.
She made her film debut in Honappa Bhagavathar's Mahakavi Kalidasa (1955).
Saroja Devi was born in Karnataka in 1945 to Bhairappa and Rudramma. Bhairappa worked in the police department. Saroja Devi was first spotted by Honnappa Bhagavathar while she was singing at a function at the age of 13. Initially, she refused his offer to act in movies.
She debuted with the Kannada film 'Mahaakavi Kaalidasa in 1955-56, which went on to win the National Award. Saroja Devi was married to Sri Harsha, an engineer by profession on March 1, 1967.
Known for her philanthropic and societal consciousness, Saroja Devi organized many donation camps in the name of her late husband Sri Harsha, daughter Bhuvaneshwari and her mother. Charitable Trusts, rehabilitation centers and health programmes organized by her stand evidence to her immense concern towards the society.
She acted in more than 170 films, her kannada film "Kittuura Rani Chennama" won the national award.
She is also known in Tamil as: கன்னடத்து பைங்கிளி 'Kannadathu Paingkili' (Kannada's Parrot) in Tamil films.
B. Saroja Devi was Chairperson of the Karnataka Film Development Corporation. She was also the chairperson of Kantheerava Studios, Bangalore.
Awards:
Padma Sri award in 1969
Abhinandana - 'Kanchana Maala' award in 1980
Karnataka Government's Rajyothsava award in 1989
Padma Bhushan in 1992
Filmfare award for All-round Achievement
Tamilnadu Government's MGR award
Cinema Express award in 1997
NTR award in 2001
Dinakaran award for All-round Achievement in 2003
Name : Saroja Devi
Date of Birth : 1945
Birth of Place : Bangalore, Karnataka
Languages Worked : Tamil, Kannada, Telugu
Father : Bhairappa
Mother : Rudramma
Spouse : Sri Harsha (Engineer)
Profession : Actress
Debut Film : Mahaakavi Kaalidasa (Kannada)
