Remembering Sharda Sinha: Lesser-known Facts About 'Bihar Kokila' Who Pioneered Indian Folk Music

Sharda Sinha Death: The popular singer known for her Bhojpuri, Maithili and Hindi folk music and Chhath songs passed away on November 5 in New Delhi's All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Sinha was battling multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, since 2017. She was lovingly called Bihar Kokila.

She began singing at a very young age in the 1970s and made a name for herself with her soulful renditions that filled the air with festivities during Chhath celebrations every year.

Lesser known facts about Sharda Sinha

• Sharda Sinha learned Manipuri dance in school. Sinha credited her success to her father Sukhdev Thakur, and her husband Brajkishore Sinha, who passed away earlier this year.
• Sharda Sinha recorded her first song in 1971 with HMV Records. The singer’s first song was Dwar Ke Chakai.
• The popular Bihari folk singer began her career by singing at her brother’s wedding in order to receive 'neg'. That's when she caught everyone's attention. Sinha claimed that she brought her music from the "aangan" of her home to the world.
• Sharda Sinha aka Bihar Kokila performed when the Prime Minister of Mauritius Navin Ramgoolam came to Bihar.
• Sinha was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1991 and Padma Bhushan in 2018 on the 69th Republic Day .
• Sinha also sang the song Kahe Toh Se Sajna in the hit movie Maine Pyar Kia (1989). She also lent her voice to other songs in Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Anurag Kashyap's critically acclaimed Gangs of Wasseypur (Part II), Char Footiya Chokre and Nitin Neera Chandra's Deswa.
• Her last song on Chhath Puja was Dukhva Mitaai Chhathi Maiya. The music video was not recorded due to her ill health.
• Sinha shared that in-laws was against her singing. "My mother-in-law did not eat food for 3-4 days in protest," she shared in an interview. However, Sinha stood her ground and sang bhajan with a troupe. "When people outside told her that I was good, she accepted me. Maine aangan see lok geeton ko bahar nikala. Main janti nahi thi ki main kya kar rahi this par maine yehi kiya," she she shared about her musical journey.