Malini Awasthi (born 11 February 1967) is an Indian singer, more commonly referred to as Folk Queen of India.[1][2] Having been trained classically, she is equally adept in various forms of Hindustani music like vintageDadraThumriKajri Chaiti[3][4] etc. Her colossal knowledge of music finds a reflection in her renditions of Ghazals and Sufiyaana Kalaams too.[5][6] A Ganda-baandh disciple of Padma Vibhushan VidushiGirija Devi,[7] she is a connoisseur of 'Chaumukhi gayan' of Benares Gharana. She commands equally over multiple dialects and languages like Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Bundeli, and Braj.[2]
Acknowledging her decades long service to music of the land, Government of India awarded her the civilian honour of thePadma Shri in 2016.[8] She is currently a visiting professor at Centre for Media Studies,Jawaharlal Nehru University[9]
Malini Awasthi was born in the city of perfumes, Kannauj,Uttar Pradesh into a family of doctors. She was the youngest amongst the trinity that the couple were parents to. Her father Dr. P.N. Awasthi, was fond of classical music and her mother Mrs. Nirmala Awasthi, deeply cherished the Purab Ang Gayaki and Bhajans. This blend reflects in the mellifluous singing of the singer today .[4] She was innitiated into music at a tender age of 5, on the insistence of her melophile mother. Neither her family nor she herself had an idea that this innitiation will eventually add an important facet of folk music into cultural landscape of the country .[8] The picture of the puzzle got better when she cleared her exams ofPrayag Sangeet Samiti years before she was expected to.[10]
This can be figured out by one such incidents where as per the singer, she slept during an exam as she was tired because she used to stand and write her exams, as benches were taller than her existence. Along with her academic training from Mount Carmel College she received her formal tutelage from Ustad Rahat Ali Khan.
She is a Ganda bandh student of Legendary Hindustani Classical Singer,Padma Vibhushan VidushiGirija Devi of Banaras Gharana. This was the only satisfaction that her mother, a cancer patient could see happening before she left . She is married to senior IAS officerAwanish Kumar Awasthi (UP:1987) who retired as Principal Secretary to Government of Uttar Pradesh. Currently her spouse is an advisor to HonorableChief Minister of U.P. They have a son Adwitiya and a daughter Ananya.[13]
Malini Awasthi started as an artist forAkashvani (radio broadcaster) at a very young age and went on to contribute immensely towards it in varying age and capacity . She is a Top grade artist ofAll India Radio[14] and an 'A' grade artist ofDoordarshan, Lucknow.[15] Contrary to the popular notion this accreditation is for Ghazals and not for folk. She was anICCR approved artist[6] and a performing artist prior to her marriage.
By the time she started training under her Guru Thumri QueenGirija Devi she was already a popular artist . Through her Guru she learnt Purab Ang Gayaki, of which she is an acclaimed face today.[16] She ventured into various reality shows likeAntakshariSa Re Ga Ma PaLux Junoon[17] where she made an impressive mark and her talent was recognized worldwide.
In one such instance, Malini talks about her interaction withJagjit Singh who was a judge of then Sa Re Ga Ma PA alongsideMehdi HassanFarida KhanumRuna Laila, was amazed by the knowledge of the Hindustani music that she had. He remarked, "Malini, you don't know what you have, very few have the knowledge that you have!"[citation needed]
But the transferable nature of the jobs of both her father and her husband helped her connect better with the roots. Much like her name, she was always inclined towards spewing the fragrance of the soil that she comes from. Her efforts at preserving the folk songs, bringing it back into the popular culture bore fruits and her songs like Railiya Bairan and Saiyan Mile Larkaiyan became a cult .[18] Today Malini is synonymous with Folk and her fans are spread everywhere like the air is around the earth.
Apart from singing on stage and lending her voice to films, Awasthi lends her voice to preserve culture and help Government promote well-being. Malini has sung the popular title song of the Kisan channel that was launched by thePrime Minister of India.On the occasion of inauguration of Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, Ayodhya, she was invited to lend her voice for Ram Naam Kirtan while statue of Ramlalla was being unveiled .[20][21]
Malini performed and represented India in an event of ABU TV in 2023 that was held in Seoul, South Korea.[22] She enthralled the audiences and made a mark in their hearts.
Apart from being a terrific singer Malini expresses herself as a person devoted to social causes and an aware citizen. She has worked withVidya Niwas Mishra to develop her understanding and to work for proliferation of the regional languages.
She is an excellent orator, being called on varied national and international platforms to render her views and opinions on topics of importance.[25][26] She has collaborated with TEDXHYDERABAD[27] TEDXSRMUWOMEN[28] TEDXNIFTJODHPUR.[29] Recently she has been invited to give her valuable insights on topics concerning culture in TOI Dialogues Vision and Voices's Varanasi and Kanpur Sessions.[30] She being an expert in the field of music especially folk music & Purab Ang Gayaki, gave workshops on Kajri at various places across Uttar Pradesh[31][32] and on Purab Ang Gayaki at the prestigiousITC Sangeet Research Academy ,[33] Kolkata, (2024) where her Guru took her last breath .
During the Covid -19 pandemic, her Facebook live sessions daily at 5 'O' clock in the evening were the talk of the town and were a beam of positivity in the times of distress. She created a song titled "Darna Nahi Muskurana Hai" over Covid-19 pandemic,[34] that was appreciated byNarendra Modi, Honorable Prime Minister of India. Retweeting Awasthi's post he wrote,[34]" Every individual is striving to contribute positively towards the Janta Curfew. Folk Singer, Malini Awasthi is motivating people in her own way !"Malini had been appointed as an ambassador ofElection Commission of India for three terms .[35] She had been appointed as a Member of expert committee on folk music by Sangeet Natak Academy. She has also been appointed as a member for the sub Commission on culture under the Indian Commission for cooperation withUNESCO.[36]
She has founded an organization called SONCHIRAIYA for promotion and proliferation of Folk.[25] It has been giving platforms to many artists belonging from different regions for past 10 years. The Lucknow-based NGO which started with VidushiGirija Devi as its chairperson, has conceptualized varied critically acclaimed shows and workshops under the able guidance of the founder Mrs.Awasthi. Muktigatha[37] and Deshaj[38] being the top favorites.
On the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchmi, she quenched the long standing desire of her fans and admirers who looking at her broad knowledge of literature were wanting her to write, by launching her maiden book titled 'CHANDAN KIWAD'.[39]The book was launched at the prestigiousJaipur Literature Festival ,2025 in the presence of esteemed personalities including actor and singerIla Arun and national award winning writerYatindra Mishra.
Recently she spoke in depth about her experiences and discussed in detail about multiple facets of her book at Sahitya Aajtak, Lucknow, 2025.[40]
Awasthi launched her book at an event held at Indira Gandhi Pratisthan, Lucknow on 22nd of February, 2025 which saw dignitaries like Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh ShriBrijesh Pathak and RSS General Secretary Shri Dattatrey Hosabale marking their presence.[41][42]
On the last day of Banaras Literature Festival, 2025 that was held at Taj Ganges, Varanasi, there was a detailed discussion on her book CHANDAN KIWAD. Awasthi shared memoirs from her life and experiences from her illustrious career including her association with the Thumri legendGirija Devi.[43]
Jashn-e-Adab, Patna 2024Minister of State for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Dr.Mahesh Sharma witnessing a special performance by Malini Awasthi.
Raag Seva, First Day, Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, Ayodhya, 2024[84]
The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Padma Shri Award to Smt Malini Awasthi, at a Civil Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on March 28, 2016
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