Sadhana Sargam is one of the top Indian playback singers. She has sung in many Indian languages. Even though she is one of the most gifted versatile singers who can sing any type of songs, she excels mostly melodious slow numbers. She is also a very talented classical musician. She is one of the few singers equally recognized and successful in both classical and light music fields. Many new young growing singers look up to her as their role model.
Sadhana Sargam is from a Maharashtrian Chitpavan Brahmin family. She was trained in Indian classical music by her mother, Mrs. Neelatai Ghanekar at an early age, and then by Pandit Jasraj. She is famous for her live concerts especially with A.R. Rahman and for her flawless live performances.
She has won several awards throughout her career including the Indian national award for best female playback singer in 2002 for a Tamil song "Pattu Solli" from the movie Azhagi, composed by Ilayaraja.
She is the only singer from outside of South India, either male or female, to have won an Indian national award for a South Indian Tamil language song.
In 2006, Sargam was among the singers who took part in a classical concert to mark Mangeshkar's100th birthday celebrations and earned praise from Hirudhayanath Mangeshkar for her performances in Hindustani classicals.
Sargam's contribution to devotional music is well appreciated by many senior singers like Usha Mangeshkar. She is one of the prominent forces along with Pandit Jasraj and Jagjit Singh to keep this form of music alive.
In her early days as a singer, her voice at high octaves was thought to be similar to that of Lata Mangeshkar while her low octave voice was that of Asha Bhosle. However, as time passed Sargam developed her own distinct style. It is believed that Sadhana Sargam was unwittingly responsible for the rift between music greats Kalyanji-Anandji and Lata Mangeshkar when the duo compared Sargam with Mangeshkar. Mangheskar thought the comparing herself with a much junior teenage singer was unacceptable. Regardless of the above said incident, both singers have mutual respect for each other.
Her all time favorites include "Pehla Nasha" from Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, "Chupke Se" from Saathiya, "Saat Samunder Paar" from Vishwatma, and "Snehidhane" from Alaipayuthey, which is also the original version of "Chupke Se" in Tamil.
In an interview in May 2007 while touring in the USA, the most celebrated composer of the Indian music industry, Mr. A. R. Rahman, complimented Sadhana Sargam, calling her the only Indian singer who could surpass his imaginations and expectations in her renditions of songs.
The recent hit song from 'Dasavatharam' - Mukundha Mukundha - is fantastic from Sadhana Sargam.
News & articles:
