Biography of Anjanibai Malpekar

Born: 22 April 1883, Pernem
Died: 7 August 1974, Mumbai

A singer who became a goddess of music, Anjanibai Malpekar sang in the courts of various Rajas and Maharajas of small provinces. In 1958, she received a fellowship from the Sangeet Natak Academy

Anjanibai Malpekar was born on April 22, 1883, at Pedhana Mahal of Goa. Being born in a family of musicians, her inclination towards music was quite natural. Later she learnt singing from Ustad Nazeer Husain Khan of Rampur. She had a good knowledge of Marathi, English, Hindi, Urdu, Persian, and Arabic. She also wrote many Urdu Shayari. She gave her first public performance in 1899 in Muzaffarabad of Bombay. With this, she became a well-appreciated singer.

Later in her life, she lost her voice. But, after two years, she regained her voice by the blessings of a saint from Pune. She married an industrialist without informing her family members. But her marital life came to a sad end with the death of her husband in 1927. Then she devoted herself totally to singing. She died in August 1974.