KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 8 -- Even after singing for nearly half a century, Indian singer K.S. Chithra prepares for every live performance with the meticulousness of a debutant.

Before each concert, the six-time National Award winner re-learns every song, carefully notating each piece and rehearsing it repeatedly. This allows her to perform on stage with the same authenticity as when she first recorded it in the studio.

At 62, she continues her daily vocal exercises - a ritual she rarely misses, except during long-distance travel.

Chithra has sung over 18,000 songs in multiple languages including Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi, in a career spanning 47 years.

Last Saturday, she made history by performing her first-ever concert with the prestigio...