Quick Info
| Profession | Indian classical singer |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Date of Birth | 08/05/1929 |
| Age | 88 years (died on 24, Oct, 2017) |
| Birthplace | Varanasi, United Provinces, British India |
| Date of Death | 24/10/2017 |
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Bio/Wiki
| Real Name | Girija Devi |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Thumri Queen, Appa Ji, Queen of Thumri |
| Gharana (Music School) | Seniya and Banaras Gharanas |
| Guru/Ustaad/Mentor | Sarju Prasad Misra and Sri Chand Misra |
| Musical Specialization | Thumri, Dadra, Kajri, Chaiti, Tappa, Holi, Khayal, Dhrupad, Dhamar, Tarana, Indian folk music, Bhajan |
| Public Debut | 1949 at All India Radio, Allahabad |
| First Public Concert | 1951 in Arrah, Bihar |
| Career Span | Over seven decades |
Personal Life
| Zodiac sign/Sun sign | Taurus |
|---|---|
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Hobbies | Watching Periodic Films, Listening to Music |
Relationships & More
| Marital Status | Widowed |
|---|---|
| Husband/Spouse | Madhusudhan Jain |
| Marriage Date | Age 15 (approximately 1944) |
| Children | 1 |
Family
| Father | Ramdeo Rai (Brahmin Zamindar and music enthusiast who played harmonium) |
|---|---|
| Mother | Name |
| Spouse | Madhusudhan Jain (music and poetry lover) |
| Children | 1 daughter |
Career
| Awards/Honours |
|
|---|---|
| Notable Students | Mamta Bhargava (founder of Alankar School of Music) |
| Notable Performances | Performed for audiences including Dr. Radhakrishnan, Sarojini Naidu, Waheeda Rahman, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Indira Gandhi during the 1960s and 1970s |
| Contribution to Music | Elevated the profile and prestige of thumri genre; transformed thumri singing by infusing it with devotional, emotional, and prayerful elements; helped establish thumri as a respected classical form |
Favourites
| Favourite Food | Paan (Betel) |
|---|---|
| Favourite Politicians |
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| Favourite Singer | Lata Mangeshkar |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Girija Devi was a celebrated figure in Indian Classical singing. | |
| 2. She was born into a Zamindar family in Varanasi. | |
| 3. Her father, a musician, instructed her in music. | |
| 4. Girija Devi commenced her musical training at a young age and made her public debut in 1949. | |
| 5. Despite facing opposition for performing in public, she persisted in her art. | |
| 6. She was recognized for her distinct singing approach and diverse selection of songs. | |
| 7. Later in her career, she shifted towards devotional singing. | |
| 8. Her charm, humor, and love for toys and dolls were notable traits. | |
| 9. Girija Devi passed away on 24 October 2017 following a heart attack. | |
| 10. Girija Devi commenced her musical training at a young age under Sarju Prasad Misra at age five. | |
| 11. She made her public debut in 1949 at All India Radio Allahabad, facing family opposition as public singing was not socially acceptable for upper-class women at the time. | |
| 12. She transformed thumri singing by infusing it with devotional and prayerful elements, moving away from lewd associations. | |
| 13. Her performances combined technical intricacy of classical music with expressiveness of folk traditions. | |
| 14. She acted in a movie titled Yaad Rahe when she was nine years old. | |
| 15. Girija Devi passed away on 24 October 2017 at BM Birla Hospital in Kolkata at age 88. | |
| 16. Girija Devi commenced her musical training at age five under Sarju Prasad Misra. | |
| 17. She moved to Kolkata in 1952 and made it her home two and a half decades later. | |
| 18. Varanasi, being a hub of both Hindu and Muslim classical singers, enriched her musical repertoire with elements from both traditions. | |
| 19. She was one of the last masters of the Purab ang gayaki tradition of the Banaras Gharana. |