Born in 1920 in Muzaffarpur,
Bihar, Shrimati Bindhyabasini
Devi is an outstanding figure in
the field of traditional and folk
music. She is considered to be
the most accomplished
performer of traditional songs
of her region in Maithili,
Bhojpuri, and Magahi, with the
largest repertoire among her
peers.
In an active career spanning
five decades, she has won
recognition as a singer of
outstanding merit not only in her
own State but elsewhere in
India, and in other countries like
Mauritius. She has rendered a
singular service to the world of
music by keeping alive a genre
of song that calls for musical
ability and literary skills in equal
measure. For the propagation
of traditional music, Shrimati
Bindhyabasini Devi has
established the Vindhya Kala
Mandir in Patna, a centre of
excellence in the field of folk
music.
Among the many honours
bestowed on her are the Padma
Shri (1974), the Sangeet Natak
Akademi Award (1991), and the
Ahilya Bai Award conferred by
the Government of Madhya
Pradesh (1998).
For her contribution to Indian
music, Shrimati Bindhyabasini
Devi is elected Fellow of Sangeet
Natak Akademi.