Ajita Srivastava

PS
Ajita Srivastava
Srivastava in 2022
Born
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Known forKajari folk songs
AwardsPadma Shri (2022)
Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2017)

Ajita Srivastava is an Indian singer, educationist and a social worker. Srivastava is known for popularizing and promoting the Kajari folk songs, a popular form of folk music from Mirzapur and the surrounding region.[1] She was awarded Padma Shri in 2022 by the Government of India for her contributions in the field of arts.[2]

Life and education

Srivastava was born in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. She has completed her Sangeet Prabhakar from Prayag Sangeet Samiti in Prayagraj, B. Ed. from Gorakhpur University and M. A. from Banaras Hindu University.[3]

Later, Srivastava married Rasbihari Lal, a famous poet, writer and lawyer by profession from Mirzapur, and settled there. Her only child, Anurag Anand serves in the Indian Air Force.[4]

Career

Srivastava started her professional career with All India Radio Varanasi in 1980. She has been associated with and performed for various organizations including All India Radio, Lucknow Doordarshan, Sangeet Natak Akademi Uttar Pradesh, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs, NCZCC Prayagraj, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, Government of Delhi, Indian Army and T-Series among others.[3]

In 2017, she retired as a lecturer from the Arya Kanya Inter College after 40 years of teaching career.[5] Since then, she has fully dedicated her time to preserve, promote and propagate Kajari and other folk music of the region on national and international level.[6]

Awards

  • 2022 – Padma Shri[2]
  • 2021 – Vishwa Hindi Shodh Samvardhan Award
  • 2021 – Kajali Kokila Award
  • 2021 – Yogya Sikshaika evam Kajali Gayika Award
  • 2021, 2010 – SAARC FOSWAL Award
  • 2021, 2020, 2019 – Nari Shakti Puraskaar by Government of Uttar Pradesh
  • 2020 – Kashi Anand Samman
  • 2019 – Harit Uttar Pradesh, Swachch Uttar Pradesh Visisth Samman
  • 2019 – Kajali Karyashala Mukhya Prashikshika Award
  • 2017 – Namami Jagriti Samman
  • 2017 – Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award[1]
  • 2011 – Vaishya Gaurav Samman
  • 2008 – Nari Shakti Samman by Amar Ujala
  • 1996 – Kajali Samragyi Award

References

  1. ^ a b "मीरजापुर की कजरी गायिका अजिता श्रीवास्तव को पद्मश्री, संगीत नाटक अकादमी पुरस्कार से भी हो चुकी हैं सम्मानित". Zee News (in Hindi). Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  2. ^ a b "Padma Awardees 2022" (PDF). Padma Awards.
  3. ^ a b "पद्म पुरस्‍कार 2022 : मीरजापुर की कजरी गायिका अजीता श्रीवास्तव को पद्मश्री, 42 वर्षों की निरंतर साधना व तप के बाद मिली सफलता". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  4. ^ "वाराणसी के 6 लोगों को मिला पदम पुरस्कार, मिर्ज़ापुर की अजीता श्रीवास्तव भी शामिल, जानिए इनके जीवन की कहानी". mirzapurofficial.in (in Hindi). 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  5. ^ "कजरी गायिका अजिता श्रीवास्तव को मिला पद्मश्री अवॉर्ड, 36 वर्षों से गायन के क्षेत्र में कर रही हैं काम". ETV Bharat News. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  6. ^ Ganga, A. B. P. (2022-01-26). "मिर्जापुर की प्रसिद्ध कजली गायिका अजीता श्रीवास्तव को मिला पद्म श्री अवार्ड, ऐसा रहा करियर". www.abplive.com (in Hindi). Retrieved 2022-03-22.