Madhuri Barthwal

Madhuri Barthwal is a folk musician and retired composer and music director of All India Radio, Najibabad, known for her work to preserve the folk music and culture of Uttarakhand. She was named for the Padma Shri in 2022 in the field of art, from Uttarakhand ^[1].

A first for women

Barthwal was born on 10 June 1950 ^[2]. She took a BA with music from Agra University, an MA in Hindi from Rohilkhand University, a music degree from the Prayag Sangeet Samiti and a PhD from Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna University ^[2]. From 1969 to 1979 she taught music at the Government Girls’ Inter College in Lansdowne, the first Garhwali woman music teacher there, at a time when music and dance were not thought fit for girls ^[2].

In 1979 she was selected for the single post of music composer at All India Radio, Najibabad, becoming the first woman to hold that post anywhere in All India Radio ^[2]. She served for 31 years, until 2010, and wrote and produced many programmes, among them Dharohar, on the folk heritage of Uttarakhand and Rohilkhand ^[2].

Teaching the dhol

Since retiring she has taught Uttarakhand’s folk music free of charge to children and adults, and trained women to play the dhol-damau, drums long played only by men ^[2]. She has written two books on Garhwali folk music and tales, including her doctoral study of ragas in Garhwali folk songs, and has more ready for publication ^[2].

She received the Nari Shakti Puraskar in 2018 ^[2].