Music Composer Raj Of Popular Duo Raj-Koti Passes Away At 68

Telugu music director Raj of the popular duo Raj-Koti passed away at his residence at Kukatpally in Hyderabad on Sunday at the age of 68. Raj contributed to the music of various Telugu films, and the pair became known as Raj-Koti. The combo produced a number of chartbuster songs before their separation.

After hearing this news, music director Koti was shocked and later became emotional as he began shedding tears. “I am unable to digest the news of my Raj’s death,” Koti said. The duo met at a recent function, where the late music director didn’t tell him about his health problems. “It was very sad to learn about his death this morning,” Saluri Koteshwara Rao, popularly known as Koti, added.

The Raj-Koti team composed the music for a number of well-known Telugu films, including Govinda Govinda, Karthavyam and Khaidi No. 786. Over the course of their ten-year career, the duo wrote music for over 180 films.

Reminiscing about his happy memories with his friend and music partner Raj, Koti said, “As Raj-Koti, we have worked together in many films. We have given many blockbuster hits. No matter how many films I did as Koti after we parted, they were also called Raj Koti songs.” Reflecting on his longstanding relationship with his counterpart, Koti also added that they created a trend in Telugu and even after his death, he will always be remembered in the form of our songs.

Due to creative disagreements, the friends-turned-music director duo split up in 1995, and Raj started on his own road. He composed the music for various films during this time. Though the one notable film he did in his solo career was Sisindri starring Nagarjuna. Koti called this separation “a result of the influence of time and circumstances in their life”. He called him his older brother. The duo reconciled in 2012, but they didn’t work together later on.