A Beginning Marked by Courage

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Young Sushma Shrestha
A young voice, shaped by resilience

Can you recognise this child singer — one who would later go on to become a well-known playback voice in Hindi cinema in the 1990s?

There is a deeply touching incident from her early life. She was barely eleven when her formal entry into the world of music was being planned. A programme had been organised by the Punjab Association, with the support of names like Raj Kapoor and Pran.

She was to perform on 12 April 1971.

Tragedy struck the day before. On 11 April, her father passed away following a cardiac arrest.

And yet, she went ahead and performed.

Encouraged by family and well-wishers, she took to the stage the very next day. Her performance left a deep impression on the audience. When it was later announced that her father had passed away just a day earlier, there was not a dry eye in the hall.

She was awarded a scholarship of ₹250 to pursue her music.

Over time, she went on to build a remarkable career — one that spanned generations. Few can claim to have worked with composers such as Naushad, Madan Mohan, C. Ramchandra, Anil Biswas, S. D. Burman, and Shankar–Jaikishan.

Though no longer active in mainstream playback singing, she continues to perform on stage, in India and abroad.

She is Sushma Shrestha.

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