Who is Sharda Sinha, singer who moved many to tears with Hum Aapke Hain Koun song

Sharda Sinha, the renowned folk singer from Bihar, is in critical condition and on ventilator support at AIIMS. The Padma Bhushan awardee is famous for her iconic Chhath songs and has also lent her voice to several popular Bollywood tracks.

In Short

• Sharda Sinha, 72, is on a ventilator at AIIMS, Delhi
• Her Chhath and wedding songs are popular in Bihar
• Sinha contributed to Bollywood with songs in Maine Pyar Kiya and Gangs of Wasseypur

Veteran folk and classical singer Sharda Sinha has been admitted to Delhi's AIIMS Hospital and is currently on ventilator support. The 72-year-old Padma Bhushan awardee is in critical condition, and her son, Anshuman Sinha, has requested people to pray for his mother.

Sharda was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of cancer that affects the bone marrow, in 2017. Her husband, politician Braj Kishore Sinha, died due to a brain haemorrhage in September this year. The singer also has a daughter, Vandana.

Born in Bihar on October 1, 1952, Sharda Sinha predominantly sang in Maithili and Bhojpuri, earning the moniker 'Bihar Kokila.' Her songs dedicated to the Chhath festival are especially popular among the people of Bihar, and her wedding songs have become a staple feature at weddings. Her 2016 song, titled ‘Pahele Pahil Hum Kayeni Chhath,’ left many listeners in tears, as it evoked a strong desire to be with loved ones.

Other popular Chhath songs credited to Sharda Sinha include Kelwa Ke Paat Par Ugalan Suraj Mal Jhake Jhuke, Hey Chhathi Maiya, Ho Dinanath, Bahangi Lachakat Jaaye, Roje Roje Ugelaa, Suna Chhathi Maai, Jode Jode Supawa, and Patna Ke Ghat Par. She has also lent her voice to songs celebrating the spring season.

Sinha has contributed to Bollywood music as well. She sang the song "Kahe Toh Se Sajna" in Salman Khan and Bhagyashree's 1989 film Maine Pyar Kiya. She also added a folk touch to Anurag Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur with the song "Taar Bijli." Sinha’s voice in the Hum Aapke Hain Koun song "Babul Jo Tum Ne Sikhaya" left many teary-eyed. Additionally, she crooned "Kaun Si Nagaria" for the Bollywood film Chaarfutiya Chhokare.

Sharda’s last album on Chhath, Arag, featured eight songs. Throughout her career, she recorded 62 Chhath songs across nine albums with T-Series, HMV, and Tips. "Through these songs, I've tried my best to preserve our rich culture and traditions," she once told The Telegraph.

In 1991, she was honored with the Padma Shri award for her contribution to music. She was also awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award, in 2018.