Dr. Minu Bakshi

Minu Bakshi is a multifaceted and versatile individual. A singer with years of Hindustani classical musical training, a professor of Spanish language at the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, an accredited Spanish language interpreter for the Indian Government, a well known Poet of Urdu poetry and the Chairperson of the NGO, Savera (a society for the uplifting of underprivileged women and children) as well as the Chairperson of the UK Asian Film Festival, London. These are some of the activities for which Minu Bakshi is known and recognised.   Minu did her schooling from St. Thomas School, Delhi and then B. Sc. from Miranda House. After which she began her journey in the world of Spanish language and she studied it for six years completing her M. A and M. Phil from Jawaharlal Nehru University and finally 'Universidad Complutense de Madrid' in Spain. Her expertise is in the art of interpretation and she has been working as an interpreter for the President and the Prime Minister of India at various occasions for thirty or more years. She has been teaching at the JNU for almost 40 years. Recently, she was conferred the “Order of Isabella la Catolica” by the Spanish Government for her services towards promotion of Spain and its culture. This is the 2nd Highest Order given to a foreigner by the King of Spain. That she was gifted with an aureate voice was recognised when Minu was just a youngster. However it was a concert by Begum Akhtar which was one of the defining moments of her life. She knew then that if there was anything she wanted, it was to sing. Never one for taking shortcuts Minu embarked on a rigorous program of classical music training. Ghazal singing is her forte. She’s sung and given hits with none other than Mika Singh. Committed to the preservation of Punjabi culture Minu released a compendium of Punjabi folk music consisting of 8 Cds under the Times Music banner this collection entitled "Band Baja Punjab" has become a "must have" for all lovers of Punjabi folk music world wide. For this, she was felicitated with the "Achiever's Award 2014" by the Global Punjabi Society for her efforts to preserve Punjabi Traditional and Folk Culture by the former Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh. Her discography across various genres of music: folk, ghazal, pop and Sufi shows her to be a singer of great talent and versatility and has had many concerts in India and abroad. Possibly one of the most significant milestones in her career, is the flowering of her career as an Urdu Poet. "Tishnagi: The Thirst" was Minu's first book of Urdu poetry. A work that garnered her unstinting praise from connoisseurs of Urdu poetry and the most hardened critics as well . It is no surprise that, Tishnagi was awarded for its valuable contribution to Urdu Literature by Ilmi Majlis Bihar. It also received the “Jameel Mazhari Award” by the Bihar Urdu Academy and the“Aamir Khusro Award” by the Husn ara Trust Delhi. “Mauj-e-Saraab”, her second book was released in November 2017 in Delhi and was also launched at the Appejay Kolkata Lit Festival January2018. After that came ‘Justaju’ and then her fourth book, Uffuq ke Paar which was declared the best book of Urdu poetry 2018 by the Delhi Urdu Academy. She has recited her poetry in various important Mushairas such as Jashn-e-Bahar, Jashn-e-Bharat, Jashn-e-Rekhta, Paigham-e-Mohabbat, Jashn-e-Adab etc in Lucknow, Patna, Delhi, Kolkata, Lahore, London and USA  and so on.   Minu Bakshi was felicitated with the “Fakhr-e-Hind” (Pride of the Nation) award for her invaluable contribution to Urdu Language & Literature by the Indian Heritage Centre. She has also been an active part of various Literary festival across Lucknow, Kolkata, Patna, Lahore and the Delhi Lit Fest. Her poetry during the last year on the subject of COVID-19 and it’s repercussions on life and nature touched  the pulse of the people in a big way with her poems going viral on soc