Kalpana Patowary

Kalpana Patowary, also credited professionally as Kalpana, is an Indian folk archivist and playback singer from Assam. She has recorded and archived some rare near to extinct folk songs in 32 dialects of Indian languages, with Bhojpuri being the major genre. Due to her contribution to Bhojpuri music, she is often referred to by the moniker "Bhojpuri Queen".

Patowary embarked on her career at the age of 4 and received further training from Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan ,Dipen Roy and Shikha Dutta for Sangeet Bisharad in Hindustani Classical Music at Bhatkhande Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya, Lucknow. She has sung in more than 32 languages, including Bhojpuri, Assamese, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, and English, throughout her solo musical journey.

Early life and background

Patowary was born in a Yogi-Nath Rudraja Brahmin family of Natha Sampradaya community in Barpeta district in Assam. A graduate in English literature, Patowary is an alumnus of Cotton College of Guwahati. Trained in Kamrupiya and Goalporiya folk music by her folksinger father Sri Bipin Nath Patowary, Kalpana started to publicly perform at the age of 4 with her father and is also trained as Sangeet Visharad in Indian classical music from Bhatkhande Music Institute University, Lucknow. She sings many forms of Bhojpuri folk music including Purvi, Pachra, Kajri, Sohar, Vivaah geet, Chaita, and Nautanki.

Patowary has worked exclusively on the lost traditions of Bhikhari Thakur in Bihar and has released several songs reinventing and commemorating his life and work.

Career In August 2026, on the occasion of the 151st birth anniversary of Pandit Rajkumar Shukla, Patowary was honoured with the Pandit Rajkumar Shukla Kala Shikhar Samman by Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary at a state-level function in Patna, for her musical travelogue Champaran Satyagraha, featuring the song "Tinkathiya Neel Kheti."

Patowary holds the distinction of being the inaugural Bhojpuri singer to introduce the age-old Khadi Birha tradition to international platforms.

In 2013, Patowary featured in the documentary film Bidesia in Bambai, released on 8 December. The documentary provides a perspective on Mumbai through the eyes of migrant workers and their music.

She received an invitation to perform during a 15-day tour across four Latin American countries, arranged by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs to commemorate Indian Arrival Day.

Patowary's pioneering accomplishment as the first woman was to record and sing in the Chhaprahiya Purvi style, a genre previously dominated by male artists.

Patowary marked her acting debut in the Bhojpuri movie "Chalat Musafir Moh Liyo Re," portraying the character of Janki alongside co-star Dinesh Lal Yadav.

She participated in the reality show Junoon - Kuchh Kar Dikhaane Ka (2008) on NDTV Imagine.

Milestone Musicals by Kalpana Patowary

1.The Legacy of Bhikhari Thakur 1

2.The Legacy of Bhikhari Thakur 2

3.The Sacred Scriptures of Monikut

4.The Anthology of Birha

5.Soul of Chhath

6.Champaran Satyagrah

7.Gangasnan

8.Sourya Urja

9.Jimochhaya-The Deoris

10.Pratimanjali

In September 2025, Patowary was awarded the Bihar Kala Samman(National Award) 2023–24 by the Government of Bihar for her contribution to Bhojpuri music and arts.

Political career On 12 July 2018, Patowary became a member of the BJP in a ceremony graced by the presence of its president, Amit Shah, and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi in Patna.

On 9 October 2020, Patowary affiliated herself with the Asom Gana Parishad during an event conducted at the party's headquarters in Guwahati. . She also served as the cultural chairperson of the party from November 2020 during the election campaign. In the 2021 Assam Assembly election, Patowary contested as a candidate representing the Asom Gana Parishad from the Sarukheri constituency, where the incumbent MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar defeated her.

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Discography

Denotes films that have not yet been released

Bhojpuri film songs Year Song Film Composer Co-singer2005 "Mehangaai Jaisen" Mai Re Kar De Bidai Humar"Dulha Milal Dildar"Dulha Milal DildarUdit Narayan"Ab Ta Ehe Armaan" "Chal Chal Kahi Pyar Kare""Lel Lel Ae Raja Ji"2006"Aise Je Saj ke Sawar ke"Rangli Chunariya Tohre NaamPawan Singh"Tani Aaja Kurta Khol Ke"2025""Lawang Latiya"RishteyKhesari Lal Yadav

Hindi film songs

Marathi film songs

Year Song Films Composer Co-singer2016"Kalana"Taleem Praful Karlekar, Nitin Madhukar Rokade

Assamese film songs

Bengali film songs

Kannada film songs

Year Songs Films Composer Co-singer2003"Sweetu Rasagolla"Lankesh Patrike Babji-Sandeep 2007 "Magalu Doddavaladalu" Ee Preethi Yeke Bhoomi Melide R. P. Patnaik C. Ashwath, Prem 2010 "Jarthaari Seere" Jothegara Sujeeth Shetty Udit Narayan

Filmography Films + Year Film Role Language Co-star Director Notes Ref 2006 Chalat Musafir Moh Liyo Re Janki Bhojpuri Dinesh Lal Yadav Manoj Ojha Lead, credited as Kalpana 2013 Bidesia in Bambai Self Bhojpuri, Hindi Surabhi Sharma Documentary 2015 Har Har Byomkesh Singer Bengali Arindam Sil Special appearance

Television Year Title Role Platform Notes Ref. 2008 Junoon - Kuchh Kar Dikhaane Ke Contestant NDTV Imagine Reality show