Hindustani singer Vidya Rao – Popular for Thumri and Dadra

Vidya Rao is a Hindustani vocalist who performs Thumri and Dadra. She is a disciple of Naina Devi on whom she authored a biography titled – Heart to Heart: Remembering Nainaji. She also renders poetic works of mystic poets like Kabir, Amir Khusro etc. A member of Rao-Hydari family, her daughter Aditi Rao Hydari is a popular Bollywood actress. Her former son-in-law (Aditi’s ex-husband) Satyadeep Mishra is also an actor.

Vidya Rao hails from Hyderabad and belongs to the royal family of J. Rameshwar Rao. She was brought up in the same city where she completed her schooling. She graduated from Chennai and did her post-graduation at Delhi. She was a researcher at Centre for Women’s Development Studies for 5 years. Later she quit the job to completely concentrate on to her singing career. She has been deeply influenced by her guru Naina Devi throughout her singing journey, and chose thumri under this influence.

Vidya Rao – Some interesting facts

1. She became a disciple of Naina Devi in 1986. She was initially scared to approach the legendary singer to accept her as disciple and scared of rejection too. To Vidya’s surprise, she agreed instantly.

2. Naina presented the broken half of a silver ring to Vidya. It was given to Naina by her guru Rasoolan Bai to wear.

3. She serves as a visiting professor at many music and art schools and colleges.

4. She had a love marriage and legally separated from her husband Ehsaan Hydari when their daughter Aditi was two years old. While Ehsaan remarried, Vidya moved to Delhi with her daughter and concentrated on to her singing career, and brought Aditi as a single mother.