A 35-year-old artist from Ayodhya, Mukesh has been learning music through Keherwa, a traditional dance form developed in the Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh. At the young age of 25, he learned singing and got inspired by Sheetla Prasad Verma. He has been working hard towards achieving mastery in his craft and pursues it with tremendous passion. He considers Sheetla Prasad Verma as his guru and speaks very highly of his teachings and his calibre in the field of music. Most of his songs are thus, made to be in a Keherwa style. He can play Harmonium and Johri, apart from singing, and has performed in various locations within the state. He also believes that he inherited this craft from Mutu Dada, his great grandfather, who had a natural desire for mastering the art of singing and playing folk music. During his childhood years, he would try to imitate Mutu Dada, and thus, picked up the will to sing and never stopped learning. He lives in a family of 12 people with his wife and brothers. He also works as a social worker to assist the families of young women, to equip them with financial support during weddings. Despite all his social work, he strives to keep developing his craft and dreams to become an icon for the youth through his music to keep the Bhojpuri folk forms alive in the hearts of the people.
- Awadh
- Uttar Pradesh