{"id":155207,"date":"2024-12-16T09:45:17","date_gmt":"2024-12-16T04:15:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mapsofindia.com\/my-india\/?p=155207"},"modified":"2024-12-14T01:36:00","modified_gmt":"2024-12-13T20:06:00","slug":"who-was-sharda-sinha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mapsofindia.com\/my-india\/art\/who-was-sharda-sinha","title":{"rendered":"Who Was Sharda Sinha?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bihar Kokila was a pioneer in the field of Indian classical and folk songs. If this name does not ring a bell, this was the well-known name of Sharda Sinha, who gave her beautiful voice to the rich cultural heritage of Bihar.<\/span><\/p>\n

She was born on October 1, 1952, in<\/span> Hulas village, Supaul district of Bihar. <\/span>She had a stellar career spanning decades, during which she sang multiple songs in languages such as Maithili, Bhojpuri, and Magahi. Her music became frequent at festivals like Chhath, which also led to her earning numerous accolades like Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards. <\/span>She <\/span>wasn\u2019t<\/span> just a talented artist and a renowned personality whose legacy will continue to inspire future generations. <\/span>This article explores her journey, which ultimately made her the star she was.<\/span><\/p>\n

Early life and background\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Sharda Sinha was born into a small family in Hulas village in Bihar, and her family made sure that her love for music was addressed properly. Her early life was deeply rooted in the cultural environment of Bihar.<\/span> She was introduced to her <\/span>region\u2019s<\/span> music traditions at a very young age, and this is where she got the inspiration to contribute generously to this heritage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sharda gained formal music training and completed her education at Magadh Mahila College and the Prayag Sangeet Samiti in Allahabad.\u00a0 After her marriage, she resided in a culturally rich area of Begusarai, where she <\/span>was introduced<\/span> to the rich folk traditions of Bihar. Her career began around the 1980s when she started singing traditional Maithili songs. <\/span>This<\/span> increased her popularity in the state of Bihar, and her voice echoed beyond state borders <\/span>as well<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stellar Musical Caree<\/span>r<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Sinha\u2019s<\/span> musical career is nothing short of remarkable. She was deeply connected with <\/span>Bihar’s<\/span> roots, and this was evident from the songs and music she sang. As she sang in different languages, she was able to captivate the audience from several states, leading to her being known as<\/span> \u2018<\/span>Bihar Kokil<\/span>a\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

The<\/span> career took a leap when she started recording traditional folk songs<\/span>. The music <\/span>was a reflection of<\/span> the traditions of her homeland. She became a popular choice <\/span>in<\/span> weddings and other small festivities as well.<\/span> Songs such as<\/span> \u2018<\/span>Paniya Ke Jahaj Se Palki Ae Aihe, Piya Ho<\/span>\u2019 <\/span>and<\/span> \u2018<\/span>Jab Jab Bhaili Biyah Bhauji Ke Sanghe<\/span>\u2019 <\/span>became the backbone of such celebrations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Due to her immense talent, she even caught the eye of the Bollywood industry. Her first song in the Indian film industry was<\/span> \u2018<\/span>Kahe Toh Se Sajna<\/span>\u2019 <\/span>from Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). This breakthrough introduced this great talent to the whole country, and there was absolutely no looking back from here.<\/span><\/p>\n

Back home, she continued to lend her voice to the cultural heritage of Bihar. Her voice also became a part of Chhath <\/span>puja<\/span> celebrations. <\/span>This<\/span> is where her contributions are renowned and <\/span>shall<\/span> be remembered<\/span> for generations <\/span>to come<\/span>.<\/span> She released several new songs continuously, <\/span>and these songs<\/span> were greatly received<\/span> by the audience as well. Her famous songs include<\/span> \u2018<\/span>Ho Dinanath<\/span>\u2019 <\/span>and<\/span> \u2018<\/span>Ugi He Suruj De<\/span>v’,<\/span> and the festival of Chhath Puja was incomplete without these songs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Due to her dedication to Bihari heritage, she brought the depths of Bihari culture to the limelight, and her work ensured that people were aware of the festivities and culture of her home state.<\/span><\/p>\n

Awards and Recognition<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Sharda Sinha has had a great impact on Indian regional and folk music. This meant that her contribution was widely recognised through several awards and honours throughout her life<\/span>. These recognitions were a way to celebrate her talent and highlight her role in promoting regional culture.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first significant award she received was the Padma Shri award in 1991. This prestigious award is one of the highest civilian honours in the country<\/span>. The award was well deserved as it was an appreciation to recognise the contributions made in the field of music, particularly in the fields of Maithili, Bhojpuri, and Magahi music. <\/span>In 2000, she also received the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award from the National Academy of Music, Dance, and Drama. Thereafter, in 2018, she was awarded the Padma Bhushan during the Republic Day Parade. This award is the third highest civilian honour and <\/span>was given<\/span> in recognition of her contributions in this arts field.<\/span><\/p>\n

Personal Life<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Sharda Sinha was involved in music from a very young age due to the immense support from her family. Her family and in-laws also provided a secure environment for her to foster her singing.<\/span><\/p>\n

She married Braj Kishore Sinha in the 1970s, and they stayed married for 54 years. Unfortunately, her husband passed away this year, and they had to part ways. She even made a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, honouring the lovely journey the couple shared. The couple gave birth to two children, Anshuman and Vandana, who were taking care of Sharda after their <\/span>father’s<\/span> death. <\/span>However, just weeks after the passing of her husband, on November 5, she succumbed to <\/span>multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that she had been battling<\/span> since 2018. She was 72 years old when she passed away tragically on November 5. <\/span>She <\/span>was admitted<\/span> to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS<\/span>), Delhi, where she breathed her last.<\/span><\/p>\n

The lasting legacy of the legend<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Several people honoured her contributions and paid tribute to the legend after her demise.<\/span><\/p>\n

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X \u2013 \u2018Suprasidh lok gayika Sharda Sinha Ji ke nidhan se atant dukh hua hai. Unke gaye Maithili aur Bhojpuri ke lokgeet pichle kai dashko se behad lokpriya rahe hain. Ashta ke mahaprav chathh se jude unke smadhur geeto ki gunj bhi sadaiv bani rahegi. Unka jana sangit jagat ke liye ek aprniya kshati hai. Shok ki iss ghadi main meri samvednaiye unke parijano aur prashansako ke sath hain. Om Shanti\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Through his condolence message on X, the Governor of Bihar wrote,<\/span> “<\/span>The news of the demise of <\/span>Bihar’s<\/span> famous folk singer Padma Bhushan Sharda Sinha ji is <\/span>extremely sad<\/span>. Apart from Hindi, she gave a distinct identity to Maithili, Bhojpuri, Bajjika and Magahi music with her melodious voice. She also sang many songs in Hindi films. The Chhath songs she sang gained a lot of fame. The demise of Bihar Kokila has caused an irreparable loss in the field of culture, especially music. Deep condolences to her family and fans. May God give her a place in his feet. Om Shanti<\/span>.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The above messages are just a few of the many well-wishers who poured their hearts out at the <\/span>singer’s<\/span> demise. This shows the <\/span>singer’s<\/span> long-lasting impact on the country and how her contributions to the field of music resonated with several parts of our country. <\/span>Lastly, <\/span>Sharda <\/span>Sinha’s<\/span> life was dedicated<\/span> to highlighting the cultural heritage of her grassroots. She will have a long-lasting impact on the way celebrations take place in Bihar and the neighbouring areas. Her songs will continue to play for generations, and now we must honour such a legend and continue her legacy for ages to come.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bihar Kokila was a pioneer in the field of Indian classical and folk songs. If this name does not ring a bell, this was the well-known name of Sharda Sinha, who gave her beautiful voice to the rich cultural heritage of Bihar. She was born on October 1, 1952, in Hulas village, Supaul district of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21867,"featured_media":157553,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6397,12124,12199,11411,12245,12185,12337],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-155207","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-art","8":"category-career","9":"category-culture","10":"category-entertainment","11":"category-heritage","12":"category-music","13":"category-singer"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mapsofindia.com\/my-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155207","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mapsofindia.com\/my-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mapsofindia.com\/my-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mapsofindia.com\/my-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21867"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mapsofindia.com\/my-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=155207"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.mapsofindia.com\/my-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155207\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":157111,"href":"https:\/\/www.mapsofindia.com\/my-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155207\/revisions\/157111"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mapsofindia.com\/my-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/157553"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mapsofindia.com\/my-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=155207"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mapsofindia.com\/my-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=155207"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mapsofindia.com\/my-india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=155207"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}