Chennai/IBNS: Indian veteran singer Vani Jairam, who sang many popular songs, including ‘Bole Re Papihara’ in the 1971 film ‘Guddi’, passed away on Saturday in Chennai at the age of 78, media reports said.

Vani Jairam lent her voice to over 10,000 songs in several languages including Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Bhojpuri, and Marathi.

She was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award, on the eve of India’s 74th Republic Day.

The singer lived alone in her apartment on Chennai’s Haddows Road after her husband died a few years back.

Her maid did not get any response despite calling her several times when she turned up for work today.

She alerted her relatives, who informed the police.

The cops broke open the door and found her dead inside the apartment.

Media reports said citing her close relatives that she might have slipped and suffered a fall.

She bagged the National Best Playback Singer award thrice, besides state awards in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Odisha.

The national award-winning singer worked with several musicians across the country, including Sitar maestro Pundit Ravi Shankar for Gulzar’s film Meera.