Narendra Singh Negi

Narendra Singh Negi (born 12 August 1949), also referred as 'Garh Ratan' and 'Bob Dylan of the hills' is one of the most prominent folk singers, composer and a poet of the Garhwal and Uttarakhand who prominently sings in Garhwali language.^[1][2] Reportedly, he has sung more than 1000 songs.^[3] His unparalleled work in the field of folk music of Uttarakhand is an inspiration for all the upcoming singers of Uttarakhand.^{[4][5][6][7][8]}

Narendra Singh Negi
Background information
Born	(1949-08-12) 12 August 1949 (age 73) Pauri, Uttar Pradesh, India (now Uttarakhand, India)
Occupations	Folk singer, composer
Labels	T-Series Himalayan Films

Background

Negi was born in Pauri town in Pauri Garhwal District (Uttarakhand) where he also completed his schooling. His father was a Naib Subedar in the Indian army. For graduation he moved to Rampur with his cousin Ajit Singh Negi who taught him Tabla. From his childhood he was fond of listening to traditional folk singers in various cultural events. He wrote and composed his first song in 1974 after getting inspired by the hard work done by his mother and other women of the town.^[9]

Music career

Negi recorded his first self-composed song in 1974. In 1976, Negi released his first music album "Garhwali Geetmala." These Geetmalas were in 10 different parts. As these Garhwali Geetmalas were from different companies he was finding it difficult to manage them. So he finally switched to releasing his cassettes by giving them separate titles. His first album came with the title called "Burans".

Negi is credited for introducing main melodic phrases of 12 beats and an irregular four-beat rhythmic pattern (typical of the Jaunsari region) to contemporary songs.^[10] He has written songs on love, sorrow, historic events, social, political and environment issue. He has sung in every genre of singing popular in Uttarakhand like "Jagar", "Mangal", "Basanti", "Khuder", "Chhopati", Chounphula and Jhumeila. He has sung in different local languages like Garhwali, Kumaoni, Jaunsari prevailing in the state.

He has also given his voice in Garhwali movies such as Chakrachal, Gharjawai, and Meri Ganga Holi Ta Maima Aali. Bollywood singers including Udit Narayan, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, Poornima, Suresh Wadkar, Anuradha Paudwal, Jaspal also sang in Garhwali films under his music direction. He also sang with fellow Garhwali enthusiast Madhuri Barthwal.^[11]

Awards

Sangeet Natak Akademi 2022

Narendra Singh Negi has been awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in Delhi on 9 April 2022. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has congratulated the state's folk singer Narendra Singh Negi for being honored with the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award at the national level. He said that the honor given to Narendra Singh Negi in the field of traditional folk songs is also the honor of the state.^{[12][13][14][15][16]}

Awaaz Ratna Award

On the occasion of Hindi Diwas (15 September 2021), the folk singer of Uttarakhand, Narendra Singh Negi has been honored with the Awaaz Ratna Award 2021.^[17]

List of albums

Album	Release date
kab Aeli	2022
Syali Ramdeyi	2022
Band Bijora	2022
Hori ka Khiladi	2022
KAMERA MWARA	2022
Yakhi baasa rae joula	2021
KUI TA BAAT HOLI	2020
Chali Bhai Motar Chali	2005
Ghasyari	2002
Haldi haath	1995
Hosiya umar	2002
Jai dhari devi	1996
Kai the khojyani holi	2006
Maya ko mundaro	2009
Nauchammi narena	2006
Nayu nayu byo cha	2003
Rumuk	2005
Salanya Syali	2009
Samdola ka dwi din	2000
Syani	2002
Thando re thando	2004
Tu holi beera	2007
Tumari maya ma	2001
Utha Jaga Uttarakhand	2017
Khud	1995
Ab Kathga Khailo	2012
Wa Junyali Raat Aege Phir Yaad	2006
Tapkara	1999
Barkha	1992
Basant Aege	2010
Taka Chan Ta Taktaka	2007
Kargile Ladaima	1999
Chibdaat	1993
Geet Ganga	2002
Surma Sarela	2007
Chuyal	2006
Jai Bhole Bhandari	2017

List of movies

Movie	Release date
Chakrachaal	1996
Gharjawai	1986
Meri Ganga Holi Ta Maima Aali	2004
Kauthig	1987
Batwaru	2003
Cham Ghunguru	2005
Jai Dhari Devi	2006
Subero Ghaam	2014

References

1. Pradeep, Rawat. "Kumaouni". Merosong. Online kumaouni and Garhwali songs Radio Station. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
2. Narendra Singh Negi उम्र, पत्नी, बच्चे, परिवार, Biography in Hindi. News Hindustan (in Hindi). 14 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
3. एक फौजी बनने की चाहत से लेकर गढ़रत्न बनने तक की कहानी, देखिये कैसा रहा नेगी जी का यह स्वर्णिम सफर. Newsuttarakhand (in Hindi). 15 May 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
4. "Saving culture is society's duty". The Statesman. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
5. "Narendra Singh Negi's love song at the age of 71". Navbharat Times (in Hindi). Retrieved 20 February 2021.
6. "उत्तराखंड सरकार लोकगायक नरेंद्र सिंह नेगी को पद्म पुरस्कार के लिए संस्तुति करेगी". Navbharat Times (in Hindi). Retrieved 10 April 2022.
7. "Uttarakhand government to recommend Padma award for Narendra Singh Negi, says CM Pushkar Singh Dhami". Deccan Herald. 13 August 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
8. Desk, Hillywood (26 October 2019). "Narendra Singh Negi जी का नया गीत"जख मेरी माया रौंदी" हुआ रिलीज". Hillywood News : Entertainment gossips. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
9. Fiol, Stefan (11 September 2017). Recasting Folk in the Himalayas: Indian Music, Media, and Social Mobility. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-252-09978-6.
10. Tanvir, Kuhu (June 2018). "Book Review: Jayson Beaster-Jones and Natalie Sarrazin (Eds), Music in Contemporary Indian Film: Memory, Voice, Identity". BioScope: South Asian Screen Studies. 9 (1): 108–110. doi:10.1177/0974927618767296. ISSN 0974-9276.
11. Negi, Sunil. "President of India felicitates Dr. Madhuri Barthwal with prestigious "WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AWARD"". NewsViewsNetwork. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
12. "U'Khand CM congratulates Narendra Singh Negi, Dewan Singh Bajeli for receiving Sangeet Natak Akademi Award". ThePrint. 9 April 2022.
13. Nautiyal, Pavan (9 April 2022). "लोक गायक नरेन्द्र सिंह नेगी व दीवान सिंह बजेली को संगीत नाट्य अकादमी पुरस्कार, पढ़िए 9 अप्रैल की बड़ी खबरें". oneindia (in Hindi).
14. "Sangeet Natak Akademi Award: अपने गीतों से पहाड़ का हर रंग घोलने वाले नरेंद्र सिंह नेगी के सम्मान ने बढ़ाया उत्तराखंड का मान". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi).
15. "उत्तराखंड के लिए गौरवशाली पल, नेगी दा को प्रतिष्ठित सम्मान देंगे राष्ट्रपति कोविंद". Rajya Sameeksha (in Hindi). Retrieved 10 April 2022.
16. "सम्मान: नेगी दा को कल मिलेगा संगीत नाट्य अकादमी पुरस्कार, राष्ट्रपति लोक गायक नरेंद्र सिंह नेगी समेत 44 हस्तियों को करेंगे पुरस्कृत". Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Retrieved 10 April 2022.
17. "ऋषिकेश: हिंदी दिवस पर गढ़ रत्न नरेंद्र सिंह नेगी को आवाज रत्न सम्मान से किया गया सम्मानित". Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Retrieved 10 April 2022.

External links

• Narendra Singh Negi's channel on YouTube
• Narendra Singh Negi on Facebook
• Narendra Singh Negi on Instagram