Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Feb 15: Legendary Konkani singer Helen D’Cruz passed away on Friday February 14.
Helen was not just a singer; she was also a writer, storyteller, and social worker.
Helen Correa’s singing career began in Africa, where her family lived as her father was a doctor. Music was in her blood—her father was a violinist, and her three brothers were also singers.
After the untimely passing of her father, Helen’s family moved back to Mangaluru and later settled in Mumbai.
Helen pursued Arts and Journalism and worked for Eve’s Weekly, a leading women’s magazine. She also wrote film scripts, and The Mirror magazine published her short stories. Her series ‘Where is Sharron’ received rave reviews.
In 1962, Helen met Venantius D’Cruz, whom she later married in December 1964 during the International Eucharistic Congress in Bombay. They were among 26 couples whose nuptials were blessed by a cardinal, fulfilling her lifelong dream of being married by one.
Helen refined her singing skills in Bombay, frequently performing at family gatherings. Her voice was known for its melodious and mellifluous quality.
She was the first female Mangalorean Konkani singer to be auditioned by All India Radio and succeeded on her first attempt. Her success encouraged several male Konkani singers, including Alphonso D’Costa, Jerome D’Souza, Henry D’Souza, and Henry Moraes, to collaborate with her.
Around 1971, Helen recorded her first duet, Ye Ye Katrina, which became immensely popular worldwide. Due to public demand, All India Radio played the song daily for over four years, an unprecedented achievement.
Helen released her first His Master’s Voice (HMV) LP record around the same time, which also gained popularity. Later, she collaborated with renowned Bollywood singer Hemant Kumar on a Konkani record.
Some of Helen’s other well-known songs include Molbar Chandrem, Daryacha Larani, Kalzanth Ullas Borla, Garaso Divo, and Sanjecha Velar.
In 1973, Helen moved to Kuwait with her three children—Colin, Yvonne, and Fiona Lorraine—to join her husband. While in Kuwait, she was blessed with their fourth child, Marianne.
Despite her hectic life, balancing a growing family and a career at a renowned Kuwait bank, Helen continued to sing at Mangalurean community events and stage productions. She also produced a CD titled Tara Ani Lara.
Following the Gulf War in 1992, the family returned to Mumbai. Helen’s beloved husband, Venantius, passed away in 2000.
Helen’s musical legacy lives on through her family. Her daughter Fiona Lorraine and her husband, Aubrey Aloysius, co-founded Lorraine Music Academy in Gurugram, Delhi NCR, where they have trained thousands of students across five continents for 18 years. They also organize large-scale concerts aired on television and All India Radio. Her younger daughter, Marianne, and her husband, Rohan Aiman, founded The Singing Express, which trains aspiring singers. Marianne has also sung solos for several Bollywood films, working with top directors. Helen’s granddaughter, Sarah, teaches music to specially-abled children, carrying forward her grandmother’s passion for the arts.
In recognition of her legendary contributions to Konkani music, the Mangalurean community, through the Sandesha Academy, honoured Helen with an award in February 2020.
Helen’s remarkable musical journey spanned over seven decades across Africa, Bombay, Mumbai, and Kuwait. She will forever be remembered as a legendary Mangalurean female singer.
The viewing and funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 15, at 4 PM at Christian Cemetery, Teachers Colony, F Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai.