Saluri Koteswara Rao

Biography

Saluri Koteswara Rao, popularly known as Koti, is a renowned Indian composer and playback singer who primarily works in the Telugu film industry. The son of legendary music director S. Rajeswara Rao, Koti has made a lasting mark in South Indian cinema with an illustrious career spanning several decades and over 528 films to his credit.

In the early 1980s, Koti collaborated with Somaraju (Raj), son of T. V. Raju, forming the successful musical duo Raj–Koti. Together, they composed for around 180 films from 1983 until their separation in 1994. Following the split, Koti continued his solo journey, composing background scores and music for more than 350 movies. His work on the film Hello Brother (1994) earned him the prestigious Nandi Award for Best Music Director.

Koti began his career as an assistant to the noted music director K. Chakravarthy. Over the years, he also mentored several now-prominent composers such as A. R. Rahman, Mani Sharma, Harris Jayaraj, and S. Thaman, who worked as keyboard programmers under him in their early days.

On the personal front, Koti’s family has also ventured into the entertainment industry. His son, Roshan Saluri, is a film composer, married to Tejaswini, and they have a daughter named Swasthika Roshan Saluri. Another son, Rajeev Saluri, has pursued a career in acting. Koti’s daughter Bhagyasri Saluri is married to Srinivas Nallapati, and they are blessed with two daughters, Aanya and Diya.

Through his melodious compositions and mentorship, Koti continues to hold a significant place in the landscape of Indian film music.