Udit Narayan Jha is no stranger to awards. He recently received the Padma Bhushan for his contribution to Indian films and he can’t stop grinning from ear-to-ear. “I’ve been in the Indian film industry for close to 40 years now,” says Udit, who’s originally from Nepal. “This industry has been kind to me. It has given me everything and this award is an icing on the cake.” Udit grew up listening to Nepalese and Maithali folk songs. His mother Bhuvneshwari Devi was known for her folk singing and young Udit imbibed that. Slowly, from singing for 25 paise at village fairs, he made a name in the cultural corridors of Nepal. He started singing for the Kathmandu Radio by the time he was a teenager. He recollects how an official in the Indian consulate was instrumental in him journeying to Mumbai. “I was asked to perform at a cultural evening held at the Indian consulate where this gentleman advised me to learn Indian classical. He said a scholarship could also be arranged if I was interested.” Udit was given an option of either opting to learn in Lucknow, which was closer to Nepal or Baroda. But he had grown up listening to Indian stalwarts like Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar and expressed his desire to go to Mumbai, as these singers were based there. “They tried to talk me out of it, saying Mumbai was expensive and the scholarship wouldn’t suffice. But I was adamant. Eventually, they relented and I started learning classical music at Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan at Girgaum under Pandit Dinkar Kaikini.” -