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Poornima
Poornima performing in 2013
Background information
Birth name	Sushma Shrestha
Born	(1960-09-06) 6 September 1960 (age 64) kathmandu, Nepal
Genres	Playback
Occupation	Singer
Years active	1971–present

Poornima Shrestha (born 6 September 1960 as Sushma Shrestha), is an Indian playback singer. Starting as a child artist, she became a leading playback singer in Bollywood during the 1990s.

Early life

Hailing from the Newar community from Nepal, Poornima was born as an Indian in Mumbai. Her father was music composer Bholanath Shrestha, who worked primarily with Hindi film music directors. He was from Kathmandu and settled in Kolkata and eventually in Mumbai.

Friend and assistant to Shankar–Jaikishan recommended her to Shankar. In spite of the prevailing custom of women playback singers singing for children, Shankar took the challenge of using an unknown child to sing "Hai Na Bolo Bolo" for the film Andaz. Sushama recorded her first song on 11 November 1969 with Mohammed Rafi and Suman Kalyanpur. She was the first successful child singer in Hindi films. She recorded a children's album called Bal Geet, which had S.Khale composing the songs and Shanta Shelke penning the lyrics. She sang four songs in it. The album proved a hit and gave her exposure. She also sang Marathi songs with ease.

Her career was planned to be launched at a function organised by the Punjab Association organised by Raj Kapoor, Pran and others.Tragedy struck the day before when her father suffered a cardiac arrest and died. She was undaunted and was encouraged by family and friends. She admitted to “almost giving up on her career for family”. She gave a performance that impressed many and enabled her to get a music scholarship. She sang many hit songs in her childhood, including "Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na". Music director R.D. Burman gave her some of her most memorable songs, "Ek Din Bik Jayega Mati Ki Mol", "Yaadoon Ki Baaraat", "Teri Hai Zameen Tera Aasman", "Tera Mujhse Hai Pehle" and "Kya Hua Tera Vada"; the later two earned her nominations for the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award becoming the youngest nominee in the category at the age of 11. She has acknowledged his contribution in her singing career:

"R.D Burman was my guru and whatever I know of singing is thanks to him."

Poornima's early start gave her the chance to work with Naushad, Madan Mohan, C. Ramchandra, Salil Choudhury, Anil Biswas, Kalyanji-Anandji, Laxmikant–Pyarelal, S.D. Burman, and Shankar-Jaikishan.

Career

She struggled as an adult singer during the mid 80s. Her marriage put a temporary halt to her singing career. Her last song as Sushma Shreshtha was in N.Chandra's Ankush: "Itni Shakti Humein Dena Data" (along with main singer Pushpa Pagdhare. Jingles took her attention where the professionalism made her settle to a steady work schedule.

In the 1990s, music company Tips suggested a change of name and image. Sushma took the name Poornima. Her song "Barsaat Mein Jab Aayega Saawan Ka Maheena" from Maa was a hit. Then came David Dhawan's Bol Radha Bol. "Tu Tu Tu Tu Tara" became an anthem and the remaining songs also succeeded. She continued her association with Dhawan and sang for all his No. 1 series including Haseena Maan Jayegi and Biwi No.1.

As an adult she sang for many music directors including Chitragupt, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Bappi Lahiri, Rajesh Roshan, M. S. Vishwanathan, Ravindra Jain, Anand-Milind, Anu Malik, Jatin–Lalit, Raamlaxman, Nadeem-Shravan, M.M.Kreem, Lesle Lewis, Viju Shah, Anand Raj Anand, Nikhil-Vinay, Vishal–Shekhar, Dilip Sen -Sameer Sen, Sukhwinder Singh, Ghulam Ali, Jeet-Pritam, Aadesh Shrivastava and Mani Sharma.

She sang popular numbers such as "Channe Ke Khet Main" from Anjaam, "Batti Na Bujha" from Gopi Kishan (both 1994), "Shaam Hain Dhuan Dhuan" from Diljale (1996), "Mr Lova Lova" from Ishq (1999) and in a series of David Dhawan films like such as Coolie No. 1 (1995), Judwaa (1997), Hero No. 1 (1997) and Biwi No.1 (1999) amongst others.

She sang for actresses including Sridevi, Jaya Prada, Juhi Chawla, Madhuri Dixit, Sarika, Manisha Koirala, Simi Garewal, Deepti Naval, Ramya Krishnan, Rambha, Sushmita Sen, Shilpa Shirodkar, Karishma Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, Kajol, Rani Mukherji, Madhu, Tabu, Preity Zinta, Ayesha Jhulka, Shilpa Shetty, Sonali Bendre and Mamta Kulkarni.

Poornima was one of the top-ten selling 1990s artists with her album Mera Dil Bole Piya Piya. Throughout the 1990s, Poormina along with Alka Yagnik and Kavita Krishnamurthy were the most prolific female playback singers.

No longer active in film playback singing, she performs live in India and other parts of the world.

Poornima has sung in many languages including Bengali, Nepali, Marathi, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Gujarati, Oriya, Rajasthani, Assamese, Haryanvi, Garhwali and Arabic. Apart from films, she has sung numerous songs in genres such as Baal Geet (children's songs), Bhavgeet, Bhajan, Ghazal, Chutney and Indipop.

Television

Poornima was one of the judges in the third season of singing reality show Bharat Ki Shaan: Singing Star, which aired on Doordarshan in primetime. She was also a judge in Bhojpuri language singing reality show Zilla Top which aired on Mahuaa TV.

Selected discography

Non-film albums

• Balgeet (Composer - Shrinivas Khale)
• Hasa Milano Hasa Baal Geete (Composer - C. Ramachandra)
• Marathi Disco
• Gujarati Geet
• Chutney Garbar
• Simply Darun
• Ankh Micholi
• Balma Bada Bavaali
• Jaal
• Bhatta Saheb
• Badal
• Jogan
• Patanga
• Shagufa
• Hello Hi
• Maashuka Bulbul (Composer - Lesle Lewis)
• Maiya Naiyya Taar Le
• Maiya Bhavani
• Maa Ka Darshan
• Chalo Darbar
• Raja Na Awjai
• Shudhu Monay Rekho
• Chutney Garbar
• Mera Dil Bole Piya Piya
• Beti Chalal Sasurar
• Bijuri Kaha Giri
• Navrya Ghari Maajhi Lekh Chal
• Sun Sharabi
• Ae Samdhi Ke Bete
• Abbe Daalab
• Tohke Chadhaib Laal Ohaar
• Goriya
• Sawan Aya Re
• Aartiyan

Film

Recognition

• 1973: Government of Maharashtra - Awarded for support to educational relief
• 1974: Filmfare Best Female Playback Award - Tera Mujhse Hai Pehle (Aa Gale Lag Jaa) - Nominated
• 1978: Filmfare Best Female Playback Award - Kya Huwa Tera Vada (Hum Kisise Kum Naheen) - Nominated
• 1998: Zee Cine Award - Best Playback Singer (Female) – Sona Kitna Sona Hain (Hero No. 1) - Nominated
• 2017: Mohammad Rafi Award - Presented by Vice President of India
• 2020: Global Film and Music Festival - Lifetime Achievement Award

Personal life

She has a son Nishadh Chandra, who is a music composer.

References

1. "From Child singer Sushma Shrestha to playback queen of 90s- we chart Singer Poornima Shrestha's long career in Bollywood".
2. "Biography of Poornima Shrestha, Sushma Shrestha (Well known Bollywood Playback singer)". 4 September 2020.
3. "The Nominations – 1973– The 51st Filmfare Awards". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 10 July 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
4. "The Nominations – 1977– The 51st Filmfare Awards". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
5. "DJ 'King' Strikes Retro Recall Note". 20 December 2011.
6. "From Child singer Sushma Shrestha to playback queen of 90s- we chart Singer Poornima Shrestha's long career in Bollywood".
7. "11 Unusual Playback Singer Debuts". Archived from the original on 6 August 2021.
8. "Celebrating musical hits of 20 less-heard female voices of Bollywood in 1970s & 1980s". 11 November 2016.
9. "Poornima - Singer, Artist, Actor | MySwar".
10. "Biography". Archived from the original on 6 March 2016.
11. "Sunidhi Chauhan interview: 'Any song can sound good if you do a good job'".
12. "Singer Poornima Back After 20 Years".
13. "Musical evening".
14. "SINDOOR (1980)". Screen. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
15. "Poornima – Top 15 Bollywood Songs". 4 July 2017.
16. "Blast from the past: Voices we miss". Archived from the original on 2 January 2022.
17. "Hindi Tv Show Bharat Ki Shaan Season 3 Synopsis Aired on DOORDARSHAN Channel".
18. "Zila Top Show On Mahua Tv".
19. "Press Information Bureau: Government of India news site, PIB Mumbai website, PIB Mumbai, Press Information Bureau, PIB, India's Official media agency, Government of India press releases, PIB photographs, PIB photos, Press Conferences in Mumbai, Union Minister Press Conference, Marathi press releases, PIB features, Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign, Public Information Campaign, Bharat Nirman Campaign, Public Information Campaign, Indian Government press releases, PIB Western Region".
20. "Global Film and Music Festival Awards Show 2020-21 (Part-1)". 28 June 2021.

External links

• Sushma Shreshta at IMDb

• Living people
• 20th-century Indian singers
• 20th-century Indian women singers
• 21st-century Indian singers
• 21st-century Indian women singers
• Bollywood playback singers
• Indian Gorkhas
• Indian people of Nepalese descent
• Indian women playback singers
• Indian women singers
• Marathi-language singers
• Nepali-language singers from India
• Singers from Mumbai
• 1960 births