[citation needed] She was working in All India Radio in Kozhikode before entering playback singing.

She entered the Malayalam film industry through Thiramala in (1953), her first song 'Ammathan thankakudame' (by music director Vimal Kumar) was a lullaby.

She sang in hundreds of Malayalam films from 1951 to 1967 and immortalised many songs including 'Unarunaroo Unikkanna', 'Kadavathu Thoniyaduthappol', 'Poove nalla poove,' `Kuruvikalai uyaraam' and 'Kadavathu thoni aduthapol' with her mellifluous voice.

Shanta Nair won the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award in 1987 for her contributions to Malayalam light music.

[3] Her grandson Aalap Raju is a bass guitarist who has worked with the top Composers of Kolllwood and also a playback singer .