Padma Shri awardee and renowned Rajasthani bhajan and Maand singer Begum Baitul received a heartfelt welcome in Paris from Prem Bhandari, Chairman of Jaipur Foot USA and President of the Rajasthan Association of North America (RANA), during her ongoing cultural tour across Europe.
Begum Baitul, who was honoured with the Padma Shri by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on April 28, 2025, began a cultural journey through France and other parts of Europe following the ceremony. During her Paris stop, she was welcomed by Prem Bhandari and his wife, Dr Rekha Bhandari, at the residence of Jain International Trade Organization (JITO) France President Lalit Bhandari. Rajasthan Association France President Anwar Hussain was also present at the gathering.
As part of the evening, Begum Baitul delivered a soulful performance of devotional bhajans dedicated to Shri Ram and Salasar Balaji. She was accompanied on vocals and harmonium by Anwar Hussain, while Sahil Bagdwa played the tabla, creating a spiritually charged ambiance that captivated the attendees.
Prem Bhandari lauded Anwar Hussain for his decades-long contribution to Indian music globally. Hussain, a multifaceted singer and actor, recently appeared with the Bollywood Maharaja Band in Netflix U.S.'s "Murder Mystery 2."
Begum Baitul's accolades
Begum Baitul was earlier conferred with the Nari Shakti Puraskar in 2022 by then-President Ram Nath Kovind. Over the years, she has represented India on global stages, performing in over 25 countries, including Australia, France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Notably, her performances have graced iconic venues such as the Tango Hall in Paris, Saint Louis Cathedral in Tunisia, the Parliament of Victoria in Australia, and the Meena Ayuba Vista Art Gallery in Spain.
Since 2017, she has been the chief guest at Europe's largest Holi celebration in Paris, which draws over 35,000 attendees annually. Most recently, she rendered special bhajans to mark the consecration of Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Following the Padma Shri announcement on January 26, 2025, Begum Baitul gave her first major post-announcement performance at Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur on March 27, as part of the Rajasthan Day celebrations.
