Jaspinder Narula

Biography

Jaspinder Narula (born 14 November 1970) is an Indian singer of playback, classical and Sufi music. She is known for her work in Hindi and Punjabi cinema.
She shot to fame after the duet "Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha" with Remo Fernandes from the 1998 film Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha for which she won the 1999 Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer. The other notable films she has sung in include Mission Kashmir, Mohabbatein, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani and Bunty Aur Babli. She is also a singer of Sufi music, as well as Gurbani and other Sikh religious music. She has sung in a Hindi Music video "Maula Ali Ali" with Mudasir Ali.
In 2008, she won the title of India's Best Live Performer in the NDTV Imagine singing reality series, Dhoom Macha De (2008).
In January 2025, Narula was honored with the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, by the Government of India.

Early life and education

Jaspinder Narula was born into a musical family. Her father, Kesar Singh Narula, was a music composer active during the 1950s. She received her initial training in music under his guidance. She later continued her studies under Ustad Ghulam Sadiq Khan of the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana, further developing her foundation in classical music. Narula did her schooling from Guru Harkishan Public School, India Gate, New Delhi and completed her B.A Hons in Music from Indraprastha College for Women, where she was admitted as a special case because she did not have Music as a subject in class 12th which was pre-requisite for admission in the course. She finished her PhD in Hindustani classical music from Delhi University in 2008.

Personal life

She lives in Mumbai, and is married to a Media Consultant from Delhi.

Career

Initially, Jaspinder focused on devotional music, including bhajans and Sufi compositions, and did not pursue playback singing in films. She later moved to Mumbai to explore opportunities in music at the advice of noted music director Kalyanji who heard her at the private gathering in Delhi and asked his son and music director, Viju Shah, to give her break in films like Master, Aar Ya Paar and Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan (1998). She excels in singing folk and devotional songs. She has lent her voice to record numerous music albums for a large number of successful Bollywood films like Dulhe Raja, Virasat, Mission Kashmir, Mohabbatein and Bunty aur Babli to name a few.
She joined Aam Aadmi Party in February 2014 but resigned soon after.