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.
Awards and honours
Year Award Category Work / Song Notes Ref 2012 Kerala State Film Award Best Singer "Enundodee" – Celluloid 2017 Kerala State Film Award Best Singer "Vaanamakalunnuvo" – Vimaanam 2025JFW Movie AwardsBest Playback Singer "Oru Chillupaathram" – Vivekanandan ViralaanuMalayalam2025Flowers Music AwardsBand of the YearProject Malabaricus2025Kerala Film Critics AwardsBest Female Playback Singer"Minnalvala" – Narivettawith J.R Divya Nair
Discography
As composer
Albums Year Title Composer Language Link 2017 Ente Akasham Sithara Malayalam 2019 Thodi Sithara Malayalam
Films Year Title Language Director Link 2018 Udalaazham Malayalam Unnikrishnan Avala 2018 Katha Paranja Katha Malayalam Dr. Siju Jawahar
As playback singer All songs are in Malayalam language unless otherwise noted.
TV series Year Title Composer Link/Notes2020Padatha Painkili (TV series)M Jayachandran2020Manam Pole MangalyamGopi Sundar2022Bhavana (TV series)2023Kaathodu KaathoramBalagopal2024Mangalyam TantunanenaTej MervinManorathangalOuseppachanSong 'Pathi Murinnu' from the episode Kazcha, directed by ShyamaprasadAnamikaC.SathyaMeenu's KitchenDeepak VenugopalanTitle Song
Albums (non-film songs) Year Title Director Link/Notes2013Thirithazhum SandhyasooryanSiraj2014PranayardramUdhayabhanu2015Nilathattam 2015HarithamDhavesh2015MazhithulliTansen BerneyTamil song2016Neeyen SarvamGeorge2017Avan KrupaSunny Jetson2017LokathilSunny Jetson2017Ente AkashamHerself2018KrupayathraScaria2018 Nammal Randum Yas Thirurangadi & Shanoof Ulikkal 2018KaiyoppuTansen Berney2018Sri Gurubhyo namahBinish BhaskaranSanskrit song2019CalvaryGeorge2019MothirakalluGraham2019Paribhavam MarannuHerself2019Tharattu padanBobby2019Sakhavinte Sakhi (2 songs)Shamsu2019SahabSayan2019Ninakkay NjanSudeep Palanad2019MizhiShameer Madatharayil2019KrishnanandamKM Udayan2019Nee Valaranam Njan KurayanamNelson Peter2020PeyyundundeSunilkumar2020KalalayamShafeeq Rahman2020Ormayil Njn VarachaNelson Peter2020Nilavu PoothappolUday Ramachandran2020NeeliEldhose and Kripa2020OrmakaleShifkath Rafi2020Kangal NeeyeTamil song2020OrmakalJecin George2020Mere Quda Shukoor2020ChayappattuHerself2020Corona Song2020Piriyuvanakilla ninneMeenakshi Jaykumar2020Song of ValorHerself2020MalakhaAnsar2020Unthum Panthum PiranthumSadique Pandallur2020Mohabatthin AtharKozhikode Aboobacker2020DathamJomin Samuel2020SwarnanalamNK Prabhakaran2020NilapanthalShameer2020OnathumbiGopan Panachikadu2020Orumichoru OnamSamuel Aby2020Ente NeelakashapoykayilVineeshkumar2020AavaniRoshin Ramesh2020OrmapookkalKomalam Gopalakrishnan2020Manasinte MadrasaAnvar Ali2020EthramelE.Jayakrishnan2020IndumathiGopi Sundar2020Parayanund ParibhavameSanjai and Helvis2020MehaboobiThej Mervin2021Enthoru Marimayam KannaGokul Menon / Rajeev Nair Pallassana Ronima Creations 2021NagarKK Nishad2021Manathe AmbiliManu Ramesan2021NeeliEldhose2021Undo SakhiRaheem Kutyadi2021Hey Nila 2022Uppayude MakalYahya
Malayalam film songs