The Deenanath Natya Sabhagruha in Mumbai gleamed with pride as the stage of the Deenanath Mangeshkar Puraskaar welcomed one of its brightest new honorees — Reewa Rathod, a singer whose soaring voice and artistic depth have captivated audiences far and wide. In a ceremony graced by stalwarts of Indian arts and culture, Reewa stood tall among legends, receiving recognition for her exceptional contribution to Indian music. Joining the ranks of luminaries such as the iconic N Rajam, Shraddha Kapoor, Sunil Shetty, Sachin Pilgaonkar, and Sonali Kulkarni, Reewa’s moment was not just a personal triumph, but a celebration of the next wave of musical brilliance.
Born into a family of acclaimed musicians — the daughter of Roop Kumar and Sunali Rathod and granddaughter of Dhrupad maestro Pandit Chaturbhuj Rathod — Reewa’s artistry is both an inheritance and an independent odyssey. While her lineage is steeped in tradition, it is her distinctive voice and vision that have set her apart. Her debut single Maula (One Above), penned by the legendary Gulzar, touched hearts across the nation and clinched the Mirchi Music Award for Best Independent Song, heralding the arrival of a powerful new voice in Indian music.
Ever unafraid to push boundaries, Reewa has traversed genres and geographies, collaborating with maestros like Ustad Zakir Hussain and Grammy-nominated saxophonist Chris Potter, seamlessly blending classical roots with global sounds. Her debut album Saaya Tere Ishq Ka, a tapestry of Gulzar’s evocative poetry and her own inventive compositions, further underscored her ability to straddle tradition and modernity with grace.
Receiving the honour, Reewa expressed with quiet eloquence, “This award feels like a gentle nudge from the universe, a blessing whispered by the late Lata Didi herself. Music is my essence, not just my expression. To be recognised with an award that bears the Mangeshkar name feels like finding a note my soul had been seeking all along.”
The Deenanath Mangeshkar Puraskaar, instituted by the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratishthan, is among India’s most revered accolades, celebrating excellence in the arts. For Reewa Rathod, this moment marks more than a milestone — it is a reaffirmation of her place in the evolving tapestry of Indian music, carrying forward a legacy with a voice that is uniquely her own.
