Madhuri Barthwal | |
|---|---|
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| Occupation(s) | singer, teacher |
| Employer | All India Radio |
| Known for | folk preservation both Music and dance of Uttarakhand |
Madhuri Barthwal néeUniyal is a folk singer ofUttarakhand, India. She is the first woman to be a music composer inAll India Radio. She is said to be the first female musician from Uttarakhand to become a music teacher. OnInternational Women's Day in 2019 she was awarded theNari Shakti Puraskar byRam Nath Kovind. She was awarded thePadma Shri[1][2] India's fourth highest civilian award in 2022 by the Indian government in the field of art.
Barthwal's father was a singer and a sitarist.[3] After she graduated she spent several years as a music teacher at a college. In her spare time she was composing for All India Radio inNazibabad.[4] She became an enthusiastic supporter of theFolk music ofUttarakhand and she created the radio programme "Dharohar" which was dedicated to the region's heritage and it's folk music.[5] She is said to know every musical instrument that has been used in Uttarakhand. She has helped to record the music of other musicians.[3]
As a teacher she has inspired several to become professional musicians amongst the many hundreds that she taught.[5] She has sung with her fellow Garhwali singerNarendra Singh Negi.[4]
Barthwal's work was recognised with theNari Shakti Puraskar, which was presented byRam Nath Kovind, thePresident of India in recognition of the sixty years she had dedicated to music, broadcasting and teaching.[5] The citation noted that she had "devoted her life" to the preservation of music.[6]
The award ceremony was held at the President's palace,Rashtrapati Bhavan, onInternational Women's Day in 2019 in New Delhi. About forty women received the award that day[4] and three of the awards were given to groups.[7] The Minister of Women and Child DevelopmentManeka Gandhi was there and afterwards the awardees met the Prime MinisterNarendra Modi.[8]