<p>A day after a woman from a tribal community was elected as the President, the tribal community of Kerala has more reasons to cheer as a folk singer from the community won the national film award for the best female playback singer.</p>.<p>Nanjiyamma, who hailed from the Irula tribal community in the Attappadi tribal village of Palakkad district in Kerala, shot to fame through the title song of the award-winning Malayalam film Ayyappanum Koshiyum.</p>.<p>She had earlier received a special jury award in the state film awards.</p>.<p>Nanjiyamma, aged 62, gave all credits to the film director K R Sachidanandan, popularly known as Sachy, for making her a playback singer.</p>.<p>Till then she used to sing only for a local folk art forum of Attapadi.</p>.<p>Sachy also gave her a role in the film.</p>.<p><strong>Best director</strong></p>.<p>Sachy, who was selected as the best director for Ayyappanum Koshiyum, died in June 2020 a few months after the film was<br />released.</p>.<p>It was a small-time actor and folk art performer Pazhani Swami who introduced Nanjiyamma to Sachy.</p>.<p>Swami also plays a role in the film Ayyappanum Koshiyum, which was shot at Attappadi.</p>
<p>A day after a woman from a tribal community was elected as the President, the tribal community of Kerala has more reasons to cheer as a folk singer from the community won the national film award for the best female playback singer.</p>.<p>Nanjiyamma, who hailed from the Irula tribal community in the Attappadi tribal village of Palakkad district in Kerala, shot to fame through the title song of the award-winning Malayalam film Ayyappanum Koshiyum.</p>.<p>She had earlier received a special jury award in the state film awards.</p>.<p>Nanjiyamma, aged 62, gave all credits to the film director K R Sachidanandan, popularly known as Sachy, for making her a playback singer.</p>.<p>Till then she used to sing only for a local folk art forum of Attapadi.</p>.<p>Sachy also gave her a role in the film.</p>.<p><strong>Best director</strong></p>.<p>Sachy, who was selected as the best director for Ayyappanum Koshiyum, died in June 2020 a few months after the film was<br />released.</p>.<p>It was a small-time actor and folk art performer Pazhani Swami who introduced Nanjiyamma to Sachy.</p>.<p>Swami also plays a role in the film Ayyappanum Koshiyum, which was shot at Attappadi.</p>