Batool Begum | |
---|---|
Nationality | Indian |
Other names | Batool Begam |
Occupation | Folk singer |
Known for | Mand and bhajan singing |
Awards | Nari Shakti Puruskar (2021) Padma Shri (2025) |
Batool Begum is a folk music singer from Jaipur in the Indian state of Rajasthan. She sings mand and bhajan songs and has become internationally famous. [1] She plays instruments such as the dhol, dholak and tabla. [2]
Begum Batul was born in Kerap village in Didwana district of Rajasthan. [3] She dropped out of school in the fifth grade. [4] She got married at the age of 16. [4] She belongs to the Mirasi community of Rajasthan. [3] She and her husband, Feroz Khan, who was a conductor on the roadways, have three sons. [4] She currently lives with her family in Vidyadhar Nagar, Jaipur. [3]
Begum, a singer of Maand and Bhajan style folk songs, also plays Indian musical instruments like the tabla, dholak, and dhol. [5] Begum gives a message of communal harmony through her songs. [3]
Apart from various stages in India Begum Batul has performed in 56 countries outside India, including France, Germany, Tunisia, Italy, Switzerland, the US, and the UK. [4] She is member of the Bollywood Klezmer, an international fusion folk music band consisting of artists from different religions performing fusion music from different cultures. [5] [6]
She performed at the Olympics in France, with other folk artists of her group Basant. [3] Begum is the only woman from Rajasthan to have performed at the Town Hall in Paris. [3]
Batool Begam was awarded the 2021 Nari Shakti Puruskar on International Women's Day in 2022. [7] In 2025 January, she received the Padma Shri. [8] egum has also been honoured by the governments of France and Tunisia. [4] On International Women's Day 2021, she received the GOPIO Achievers Award - 2021 and the Certificate of Excellence Award. [4]
Mand or Maand is a style of singing in Rajasthan, used in folk songs. It is similar to the thumri and the ghazal.
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