Sharda Sinha, aka 'Bihar's Kokila', passed away at the age of 72 at Delhi's AIIMS Hospital after she lost her long battle against myeloma (a type of blood cancer). Here are some rare facts about her.
Sharda Sinha was a huge name in India's folk and classical music. Renowned as 'Bihar's Kokila,' she was bestowed with the prestigious Padma Bhushan award at the 2018 Republic Day event. She also received the Padma Shri in 1991 for her incredible contribution to the Indian music industry. Sharda Sinha predominantly sang in the Bhojpuri and Maithili languages, which is why she has a massive fan following in Bihar and its nearby states.
Apart from being a famous folk singer, Sharda Sinha is also famous for her songs related to Chhath Puja. Everyone hailed her as the 'voice of Chhath Puja' because of her many hit tracks about the folk festival. Some of Sharda Sinha's iconic Chhath Puja songs include Pahile Pahil Chhathi Maiya, Kelwa Ke Paat Par, Ho Deenanath, Uthau Suruj Bhaile Bihaan, Chhath Ke Baratiya, Hey Chhathi Maiya, Bahangi Lachakat, Jaaye, Jode Jode Supawa, Patna Ke Ghat Pe, and many more.
As soon as the reports of Sharda Sinha being admitted to Delhi's AIIMS made its way on the internet, she started trending on Google Trends. Even the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi made a tweet in which he shared that he has been monitoring Sinha's condition continuously. In a conversation with PTI, Sinha's son, Anshuman Singh also shared a major health update and requested devotees of Chhath Puja to include her in their prayers.
Unfortunately, around 10 pm on November 5, 2024, news came out that Sharda Sinha passed away at the age of 72. Despite doctors' best efforts and continuous treatment at Delhi's AIIMS, she died due to a refractory shock as a result of septicemia. The complications arising out of myeloma (a type of blood cancer that damages bone marrow) were too severe for her body, and she passed away, leaving everyone in tears.
For the uninitiated, Sharda Sinha worked as a singer in Bollywood and that too in three iconic films, Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, and Gangs of Wasseypur. She sang the timeless songs, Kahe Toh Se Sajna and Babul in Salman Khan's iconic films. She once again mesmerised everyone with her voice in the song, Taar Bijli from Anurag Kashyap's film, Gangs of Wasseypur.
However, not everyone is aware of the fact that Maine Pyar Kiya's director, Sooraj Barjatya, paid only Rs. 76 to the legendary folk singer, Sharda Sinha for singing the song, Kahe Toh Se Sajna. Comparing her fees to the film's lead actor, Salman Khan, he was paid a handsome amount of Rs. 30,000 for playing the lead in his debut film. After so many decades, Sharda Sinha caught everyone's attention when her song, Nirmohia, from the famous web series, Maharani, received a lot of love on social media.
For the uninitiated, Sharda Sinha was married to Brajkishore Sinha, who played a crucial role in her successful career as a folk singer. According to multiple reports, Brajkishore Sinha encouraged her to continue her passion for singing even after marriage and embrace motherhood. The couple reportedly got married in 1970 and welcomed two kids, Anshuman and Vandana, into their small paradise.
As per the early reports, one of the significant factors why Sharda Sinha passed away is the fact that she couldn't recover from the shock of her husband, Brijkishore Sinha's death. For the uninitiated, Brijkishore Sinha slipped at his home and suffered a major head injury. The doting husband passed away at the age of 80 due to a brain haemorrhage on September 22, 2024. It was a difficult moment for Sharda, and she couldn't process it, which deteriorated her health at a fast pace.
Sharda Sinha loved her husband, Brijkishore Sinha, and always credited him for her illustrious career because he stood by her side all the time. For the uninitiated, Sharda Sinha's mother-in-law was against her decision to pursue singing even after marriage. When Sharda didn't stop, her mother-in-law went on a hunger strike to stop her from singing.
At that time, Sharda Sinha's husband, Brijkishore Sinha, convinced his mother and encouraged his wife to sing even after their marriage. Courtesy of his supportive nature and the way Brijkishore Sinha has always supported Sharda Sinha, the iconic singer couldn't deal with the reality that he was no longer with her. It is heartbreaking news for everyone celebrating Chhath Puja as the voice of this iconic festival is no longer with us.
What are your thoughts on Sharda Sinha's illustrious career? Let us know.
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