EJDTimmy2065 at 08:41, 8 July 2025

2025-07-08T08:41:35Z

New page

{{Short description|Indian Singer (born 1942)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| image = Mahavir Nayak (cropped).jpg
| caption = Nayak in 2025
| other_names = Mahabir Nayak
| birth_name = Mahavir Nayak
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1942|03|26|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Uruguttu, [[Kanke block|Kanke]], [[Ranchi district|Ranchi]], [[Bihar]] (now [[Jharkhand]]), India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| education =
| occupation = {{ubl|Singer| Songwriter}}
| years_active = 1962 - present
| known for = [[Nagpuri culture#Folk music and dance|Typical Nagpuri music]]
| spouse =
| parents =
| children =
| relatives =
| awards = {{ubl|[[Padma Shri]] (2025)|[[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] (2022)|Praful Samman (2019)|Lok Kala Ratna Award (2014)}}
}}

'''Mahavir Nayak''' (born 26 March 1942), is an Indian [[Nagpuri language|Nagpuri]]-singer and songwriter. He is an exponent of Theth Nagpuri music, which is a genre of typical Nagpuri music, based on traditional [[Nagpuri culture#Folk music and dance|Nagpuri folk music]].<ref name="prabhatkhabar2020">{{cite news |url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/vishesh-aalekh/1381799|title=पारंपरिक नागपुरी गीतों को सहेजने में जुटे 'भिनसरिया के राजा' महावीर नायक|publisher=prabhatkhabar|date=14 February 2020|access-date=27 November 2022|language=Hindi}}</ref> He is recognised for his Nagpuri Bhinsariya, Faguwa, Pawas and Mardani Jhumar ragas.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Mahabir Nayak gets Padma Shri for preserving Jharkhand's music; says hard work finally paid off|url=https://theprint.in/india/mahabir-nayak-gets-padma-shri-for-preserving-jharkhands-music-says-hard-work-finally-paid-off/2463490/|work=[[The Print]]|date=26 January 2025|access-date=14 February 2025}}</ref> He is the recipient of [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award|Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Award]] (2022), Lok Kala Ratna Award (2014) and Praful Samman (2019) for his contribution in folk music.<ref name="prabhatkhabar2022">{{cite news |url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/jharkhand/ranchi/my-mati-bhash-aur-sanskriti-got-sangeet-natak-akademi-know-which-artists-of-jharkhand-got-the-award-vwt|title=मायं माटी भाषा आऊर संस्कृति' को मिला संगीत नाटक अकादमी, जानिए झारखंड के किन-किन कलाकारों को मिला अवॉर्ड|publisher=prabhatkhabar|date=25 November 2022|access-date=27 November 2022|language=Hindi}}</ref><ref name="etvbharat">{{cite news |url=https://www.etvbharat.com/hindi/jharkhand/state/ranchi/sangeet-natak-akademi-award-2022-to-jharkhand-artists/jh20221126095105611611363|title=संगीत नाटक अकादमी पुरस्कारः झारखंड के तीन कलाकारों को मिलेगा अवार्ड|publisher=etvbharat|date=26 November 2022|access-date=27 November 2022|language=Hindi}}</ref><ref name="prabhatkhabar022020">{{cite news |url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/jharkhand/ranchi/1378564|title=धनेंद्र प्रवाही और महावीर नायक होंगे प्रफुल्ल सम्मान से सम्‍मानित|publisher=prabhatkhabar|date=4 February 2020|access-date=27 November 2022|language=Hindi}}</ref> In 2025, he was awarded [[Padma Shri]], India's fourth highest civilian award in the field of arts.<ref name="TimesofIndia2025">{{cite news |title=Nagpuri songwriter, composer Mahavir Nayak receives Padma Shri |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/nagpuri-songwriter-composer-mahavir-nayak-receives-padma-shri/articleshow/117561792.cms |access-date=26 January 2025 |work=The Times of India |date=25 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126155637/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/nagpuri-songwriter-composer-mahavir-nayak-receives-padma-shri/articleshow/117561792.cms |archive-date=26 January 2025}}</ref>

==Early life==
He was born in the village of Uruguttu in the [[Kanke block]] of [[Ranchi district]] on 26 March 1942, on the day of Ramnavami. He belongs to [[Ghasi]] community.<ref name="TimesofIndia2023">{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/mahabir-nayak-wins-sangeet-natak-akademi-amrit-award/articleshow/103725111.cms|title=Mahabir Nayak Wins Sangeet Natak Akademi 'Amrit' Award|work=[[Times of India]]|date=17 September 2023|access-date=20 January 2025}}</ref> His father, Khuddu Nayak, was a folk singer and [[Mardani Jhumar]] dancer. He learnt folk music in the arkhra, the village ground. He was getting chances to sing songs in school on Saturday. He was appreciated by his friends for his songs and he wished to become a singer.<ref name="prabhatkhabar2019">{{cite news|url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/entertainment/jhollywood/1325460|title=नागपुरी राग-रागिनियों को संरक्षित कर रहे महावीर नायक|publisher=prabhatkhabar|date=4 September 2019|access-date=27 November 2022|language=Hindi}}</ref>

==Career==
He joined [[Heavy Engineering Corporation]] in 1963. He started writing songs.<ref name="prabhatkhabar2020"/>
He tried to preserve traditional nagpuri music. He is the singer of theth nagpuri songs, which is typical Nagpuri music based on traditional Nagpuri folk music since 1962. He was invited by [[Bisheshwar Prasad Keshari]] to the Nagpuri Sansthan, where he came to know about the poetry of Nagpuri poets such as Hanuman Singh, Barju Ram, [[Ghasi Ram Mahli]] and Das Mahli. Then he started composing nagpuri music with Dr Bishweswar Prasad Keshari.<ref name="prabhatkhabar2019"/> He started to sing on stage in the year of 1976. In 1977, he started organising stage programs and gave the elderly singers the opportunity to sing.<ref name="prabhatkhabar2019"/> He has sung in more than 1000 stage shows. He is known as king of Vinsaria, which is a title given by the people of [[Simdega district]].<ref name="prabhatkhabar2020"/>

He gave an audition and joined the radio and television show in 1984. Then he sang several songs on radio and television. He also composed many songs for the movement of the separate Jharkhand state.<ref name="prabhatkhabar2019"/>

In 1985, he established the Kunjban organisation with folk artist [[Mukund Nayak]] and other artists, to teach traditional nagpuri music to the young generation.<ref name="prabhatkhabar2019"/> He went to [[Taipei]] for a show in 1992.<ref name="prabhatkhabar2020"/>

On 31 March 2021, he retired from HEC. He had written around 300 songs and collected 5000 songs written by old poets. He also organised the Nagpuri poet conference in [[Hatia]]. He has been a member of Chotanagpur Sanskritik Sangh since 1971. He published the magazine ''Darpan'' in 1993, which has songs written by many old poets. According to him, the Theth Nagpuri music is a form of classical music. Its song and dance are based on festivals and seasons such as [[Jhumair|Jhumar]], Pawas, Udasi and Fagua. It includes social, ethics, culture and literature. Modern nagpuri songs have been affected by pollution.<ref name="prabhatkhabar2020"/>

==Awards and honours==
In 2014, he was awarded the Lok Kala Ratna Award.<ref name="prabhatkhabar2019"/> In 2020, he was awarded Praful Samman for the year 2019.<ref name="prabhatkhabar022020"/> In 2022, he was awarded the [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]].<ref name="TimesofIndia2023"/><ref name="prabhatkhabar2022"/><ref name="etvbharat"/>
[[File:Mahabir_Nayak.jpg|thumb|Mahabir Nayak Padma Shri]]
In 2025, he was awarded [[Padma Shri]], India's fourth highest civilian award in the field of arts.<ref name="TimesofIndia2025" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Art|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nayak, Mahavir}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Ranchi]]
[[Category:Nagpuria people]]
[[Category:1942 births]]
[[Category:Indian male folk singers]]
[[Category:Singers from Bihar]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts]]

Mahavir Nayak - Revision history

EJDTimmy2065 at 08:41, 8 July 2025