Raj Begum

Raj Begum (27 March 1927 – 26 October 2016) was an Indian playback and folk singer from Kashmir. She was often called the "Nightingale" or "Melody Queen" of Kashmir. She popularised Kashmiri poetic traditions, and received the Padma Shri in 2002 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2013.

Early life Raj Begum was born in Srinagar on 27 March 1927 and raised in a modest household where her father encouraged her musical talent from an early age. She began singing at weddings across communities, where she learned Kashmiri folk fundamentals.

Career and impact She was introduced to Radio Kashmir Srinagar in the early 1950s and formally joined in 1954, soon becoming one of the station’s defining live voices. She sang in the styles of folk, classical, ghazal, devotional, and romantic songs, with inspiration from Kashmiri poetic traditions.

Along with contemporary Naseem Akhtar, Raj Begum helped dismantle social taboos around women singing publicly in Kashmir, opening doors for later generations of women artists on stage and radio.

Selected songs

Wesye Gulan Aavay Bahar (also cited as “Vyasiye gulan aavuy bahar”) Tse Patte Rawwrawem

The 2025 film Songs of Paradise follows the journey of a Kashmiri woman who dreams of becoming a singer, inspired by the songs of Raj Begum.