Kunti Moktan

Kunti Moktan (née Sundas; Nepali: कुन्ती मोक्तान) (born 11 July 1962) is a Nepali singer.[1] She is classically trained and sings Nepali folk and modern songs. She is best known for her folk–pop songs such as Choli Ramro, Nishthuri Mayalu and Mathi Mathi Sailungey Ma. She usually collaborate with her husband Shila Bahadur Moktan, who is a musician and a singer.[2] Beside singing, she also teaches music at various schools.[3]

Kunti Moktan
कुन्ती मोक्तान
Birth nameKunti Sundas
Born (1962-07-11) 11 July 1962
Darjeeling, India
GenresFolk, Modern
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active1977–present
Spouse(s)Shila Bahadur Moktan (married 1983–present)

Early life

Kunti Moktan was born on 11 July 1962 in Margaret's Hope Tea Estate, Darjeeling district, India to father Prem Kumar Sundas and mother Bishnu Maya Sundas.[4] She completed her high school–level education from Kurseong. In her high school, she also played football. She was a part of the first women football team from Darjeeling.[5] She moved to Kathmandu, Nepal in 1983 to pursue her musical career.[6]

Musical career

Moktan started singing from an early age. She started her musical journey from St. Xavier's High School in Dilaram, India.[7] When in Class 8, she passed the vocal test at All India Radio station in Kurseong and recorded her first song with All India Radio at the age of 15 and second song for Radio Nepal at the age of 18 in 1980. Both Kunti and her husband Shila Bahadur initially learnt music from Jagdish Chandra Rai in Sonada. She came to Kathmandu in 1980 for the first time to sing for the celebration of King Mahendra's birthday.[5] She moved to Kathmandu permanently, with her husband, in 1983.[3]

Moktan has performed in about 20 countries, including the India, United States, Japan, UK, Hong Kong, Germany, Switzerland and South Korea.[8] Apart from singing, she plays the harmonium. Some of her most popular songs are Khutta Tandai Gara, Choli Ramro Palpali Dhakako, Sunkai Bhau Chha, Bhanchan Kohi Jindagi Yo, Mathi Mathi Sailungey Ma and Dali Dali Ma.

Personal life
Kunti Moktan with her husband Shila Bahadur Moktan
Kunti Moktan with her husband Shila Bahadur Moktan

She married Shila Bahadur Moktan, a Nepali musician and lyricist, in 1983. They have two daughters Shital Moktan and Subani Moktan who are also musicians.[6]

Discography

Albums
Year of release Name of the album Number of songs
1996 Mero Man 13
2000 Kirti 13
2003 Kusum 11
2008 Manko Sapana 12
Sailunge 10
Mayalu Lai 3
2009 Kamero 13
2010 Birsi Janelai 10
2010 Kahile Kahi 9
2013 Hamro Bhet 10
2020 Koseli, Vol. 1 9
Koseli, Vol. 2 9

Singles
  • Pahadi Pyara (2018)
  • Gothalo Jada (feat. Subani Moktan) (2020)
  • Timro Bhaye Pugcha (2020)

Awards
  • Chinnalata Geet Puraskar, Nepal[9]
  • Bhupalman Singh Yuba Puraskar, Nepal
  • Nirman Samman, Sikkim
  • Hits FM Music Award, Nepal
  • Budha Subba Music Award

References
  1. "सिर्जना मूल हो, रसाइरहन्छ" [Creation is a spring, it keeps on flowing.]. सिर्जना मूल हो, रसाइरहन्छ (in Nepali). Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  2. "एउटै क्षेत्रमा रमेका जोडी" [Couples in the same field]. narimag.com.np (in Nepali). Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  3. "कुन्ती मोक्तानको जीवन : सङ्गीत सिक्दासिक्दै प्रेम बस्यो" [Kunti Moktan's life: Falling in love while learning music]. RatoPati (in Nepali). Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  4. Kangaroo, Himalayan (19 October 2017). "कुन्ती मोक्तान : नेपाली संगीतकी आठौं सुर" [Kunti Moktan: Eight tone of Nepalese music]. himalayankangaroo.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  5. "हिजोका कुरामा कुन्ती मोक्तान : फुटबल खेलाडीको गायनमा छलाङ" [Kunti Moktan talking about her past: A football player's leap into singing]. Ukeraa (in Nepali). Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  6. "Family Affair II". Wave Mag. Archived from the original on 27 January 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  7. "Kunti Moktan". Wave Mag. Archived from the original on 7 July 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  8. "Kunti Moktan's Kusum album's Nepali songs". Nepali Matters. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  9. "Chinnalata *Award". SangeetSansar.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
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