Rajnigandha Shekhawat is an Indian singer from Rajasthan. She is known for singing songs in a mix of English and Rajasthani Marwari. She is a princess of the former Marshisar state of Rajasthan.
Wiki/Biography
Rajnigandha Shekhawat was born on Tuesday, November 18, 1975 (45 years old in 2020) in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio. She went to school at Maharani Gayatri Devi Girls’ School, Jaipur. Later, she pursued a Bachelor of Commerce degree at Maharani College, Jaipur. At the same time, she studied Hindustani classical music at Rajasthan Sangeet Sansthan and later, she studied classical music with Pt. Lakshman Bhatt Tailang and Maharaja Sawai Man Singh Sangeet Vidyalaya. She then moved to Mumbai to learn the music of Gwalior Gharana under the guidance of Pt. Rattan Mohan Sharma (nephew of Pt. Jasraj). Rajnigandha completed the Vishaarad course and obtained a Master’s degree in Music from SNDT University, Mumbai.
Rajnigandha Shekhawat and Pt. Jasraj
When she was in school, she participated in various group song competitions. Later, a teacher at school asked her to sing solo at a school assembly, which was her first time performing on stage. She loved singing since she was a child and later began to receive training in Indian classical music. Later, she joined the Times Music Group and learned more about the music industry.
appearance
Height (approximate): 5′ 6″
Eye color: Black
Hair color: Black
Caste
She was born into an orthodox Rajput royal family in Jaipur.
family
Parents and siblings
Her father, Dr. Bhawani Singh, was the Thakur Sahab of Marsisar, Jaipur. Her mother, the late Rawalot Bhati, was from Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. She has an elder brother and an elder sister, Vineeta Kumari Shekhawat, who is married in Lucknow.
Rajinikanth Shekhawat’s parents
Rajnigandha Shekhawat and her father
Rajinikanth Shekhawat’s sister
Profession
In 2006, she released her debut music album, Desert Soul. Some of her hits include “Tattoo” from the album Monsoon Shootout (2014), “Aai’s Aalaap” from the album Margarita with a Straw (2014), “Badri Ki Dulhania (Title Track)” from Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017) and “Laalam Laal” from the album Kaagaz (2021). She is well versed in various music forms.
Rajnigandha Shekhawat performing on stage
She said in an interview,
I can sing western songs too, but I don’t want to develop an accent because it will affect my ability to sing Hindi songs. So I’ll try to get rid of the accent, but I’ve recently developed an interest in western music and I’m taking lessons so that I can improve my accent.”
She is reportedly the only singer to mash up Rajasthani folk songs with English. One of her mashup songs, Cheap Thrills with Ghoomar (2017), gained immense popularity.
Rajnigandha has performed over 500 concerts in the country and abroad (as of 2021). She has also voiced for various television commercials like Fanta, Jabong, Lenovo and Rajasthan Tourism. She also sang the song “Mausam Music Ka” for Indian Idol 10 and an ad song for Red FM. In 2018, she participated in the television reality singing show “Rising Star”.
A letter from the late Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh to Rajinikanth Shekhawat
She owns a marketing company that specializes in advertising for celebrities and well-known brands. Her company has worked with Disney India, Times Music, and has worked with Shahid Kapoor, a famous Indian actor.
Awards and Honors
- 2011 Aloud Award for Best Female Vocalist
- 25 Inspiring Women of Rajasthan (December 20, 2012) By DNA
- 23 December 2012 Rajasthan Sangeet Ratna Champion
- Best Fusion Song in the Non-Film Music Category at the Jaipur Music Festival Awards 2017
Favorite things
- Food: Prawns Gassi at Mahesh in Mumbai and Dosa at Andheri Railway Station in Mumbai
- Dessert: Strawberry ice cream at Haji Ali Juice Centre in Mumbai
- Genre: Sufi folk music and ghazal
Facts/Trivia
- In an interview, she revealed that she often dressed like a tomboy when she was a child.
- In an interview, she talked about her parents’ education. She said,
My father was a first prize winner in college during his school days and has won over 100 debate awards, and at our insistence, these lovely old trophies are now proudly displayed in the living room of our home. He has written nearly 19 books till date. My late mother was Rawalot Bhati from Jaisalmer whose family migrated to Uttar Pradesh centuries ago. She studied at Lady Irwin College in Delhi and later married my father, came to Jaipur and transformed herself into a typical Rajasthani Thakurani! I have an elder brother who lives in Jaipur with his own family and an elder sister who went to Lucknow after her marriage.
- While in school, she represented Rajasthan in national-level Taekwondo competitions.
- In an interview, she shared that singing on a public platform was not allowed in her family. She also said,
It has not been easy and I still have a lot to do, so the journey continues. My parents, like any normal Rajput parents, were reluctant to let their daughter sing. But over the years, they saw me winning awards, then congratulations, they attended my concerts. I guess they were afraid that I would leave Rajasthan and become an oddity. They have now realised that I am more of a Rajasthani ever since I moved to Mumbai to pursue my dreams, and now they are happy and proud of me. ”
- She once performed on an episode of the American reality television show So You Think You Can Dance.
- She is known as India’s “MahaRani of Mashups”.
- In an interview, she talked about her mother tongue. She said:
I love conversing in Marwari but when I talk to locals, shopkeepers and even hotels and restaurants in Marwari, they reply me in Hindi which frustrates me. If I know the language, so do they. So what is the shame in speaking in our mother tongue? People of Rajasthan need to understand that speaking in our own language is what makes us unique. It does not make us small,” she rues but adds, “I have great respect for Punjabis and their music. The way they have promoted music not only in India but also abroad is commendable. The same impetus is needed to promote Rajasthani folk music. Through my documentary, I want to get our music out there and make it popular.”
- Rajnigandha has a YouTube channel with the same name and the first video on her channel was uploaded in 2009.
- She considers former Queen of Jaipur Gayatri Devi as her idol.
- Rajnigandha Shekhawat follows a non-vegetarian diet.
- In an interview, she was asked to give a message to young girls in India. She said,
I firmly believe that a person must take control of their own life and destiny and work hard to achieve their dreams. Excuses don’t make great nostalgic stories, only success stories make people attractive. None of us have a perfect life or a perfect springboard to success, but constantly blaming others or circumstances for your failures is a waste of time. Don’t rush it, face life and work hard. ”
- In 2018, her hair-cutting video went viral, in which she chopped off her knee-length hair (93 cm) and donated it to a cancer charity. Her video received both positive and negative comments.
Rajnigandha Shekhawat after haircut
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education