Malini Awasthi (born 11 February 1967) is an Indian singer, more commonly referred to as Folk Queen of India.

Early life and background

Malini Awasthi was born in the city of perfumes, Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh into a family of doctors. She was the youngest among the trinity that the couple were parents to. Her father Dr. P.N. Awasthi, was fond of classical music and her mother Mrs. Nirmala Awasthi, deeply cherished the Purab Ang Gayaki and Bhajans. This blend reflects in the mellifluous singing of the singer today. She was innitiated into music at a tender age of 5, on the insistence of her melophile mother. Neither her family nor she herself had an idea that this innitiation will eventually add an important facet of folk music into cultural landscape of the country. The picture of the puzzle got better when she cleared her exams of Prayag Sangeet Samiti years before she was expected to.

This can be figured out by one such incidents where as per the singer, she slept during an exam as she was tired because she used to stand and write her exams, as benches were taller than her existence. Along with her academic training from Mount Carmel College she received her formal tutelage from Ustad Rahat Ali Khan.

She went on to do her Postgraduation in Hindustani classical music from Bhatkhande University, Lucknow. and a Postgraduation in Modern History with specialisation in Medieval and modern Indian architecture, from University of Lucknow simultaneously. She was conferred with a gold medal in both of her master’s degrees.

She is a Ganda bandh student of Legendary Hindustani Classical Singer, Padma Vibhushan Vidushi Girija Devi of Banaras Gharana. This was the only satisfaction that her mother, a cancer patient could see happening before she left. She is married to senior IAS officer Awanish Kumar Awasthi (UP:1987) who retired as Principal Secretary to Government of Uttar Pradesh. Currently her spouse is an advisor to Honorable Chief Minister of U.P. They have a son Adwitiya and a daughter Ananya.