Folk Songs and Folk Culture of India: Sung, Preserved, and Transmitted

Malini Awasthi

Padma Shri Dr Malini Awasthi is a renowned artist, archivist, storyteller, author, and cultural ambassador of India. A disciple of the legendary Padma Vibhushan Girija Devi ji of the Senia Banaras Gharana and trained under Ustad Rahat Ali Khan, Malini Awasthi carries forward a lineage marked by depth, discipline, and devotion. Her craft is both inheritance and revolution; an artist who has not merely preserved India’s folk traditions, but reshaped how a nation sees them. India’s foremost torchbearer of folk and semi-classical music, she has given new life to Thumri, Dadra, Kajri, Tappa, and the dialectal treasures of Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Braj, Bundeli, and Kashi. She has performed across the USA, UK, Europe, Australia, South Korea, the Middle East, Africa, and the Indian Ocean region, carrying the sound of India’s soil to global stages. Dr Awasthi holds an honorary D.Litt. from the Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, and an honourable doctorate by Allahabad University. She has served in leadership roles across prestigious institutions, including BHU, JNU, ICCR, and the School of Arts & Aesthetics (JNU). She was Chair-Professor at the Banaras Hindu University. Malini Awasthi is also the founder of the Sonchiraiya Foundation, dedicated to preserving intangible folk heritage. She has recently published her memoir, Chandan Kiwad, which stands as a proof of how a storyteller who has lived among countless voices came to gather, honour, and share the million stories she now renders so beautifully through her music. She has been honoured with several prestigious awards and honours, including a Padma Shri in 2016.