Shahnaz Akhtar is an Indian bhajan singer and folk singer from Madhya Pradesh who gained popularity due to her performances and bhajans sung by her. Her rise to fame was due to her rich voice, energetic performances and bhajans sung on deities of Hindu religion. It is quite important to note that the journey of Shahnaz Akhtar is quite unique in the sense that she was born in a Muslim family but gained immense interest in Hindu devotional music from a very young age. She began her singing of devotional music from her childhood and gradually gained her name as a singer of bhajans due to her jagrans, Mata Rani programs, religious programs and devotional music albums. Her earlier performances and music had mostly links to the Mahakoshal region of Madhya Pradesh. Her music and bhajans were then able to reach a wider audience through albums and live performances.
Who Is Shahnaz Akhtar?
Shahnaz Akhtar is a devotional and folk singer who hails from Madhya Pradesh. She has become famous due to the performance of bhajans and devotional songs on religious occasions such as jagrans and other cultural programs. Shahnaz’s singing career started during childhood and she established herself as a singer via live performances and then through recordings. One significant aspect of her public image includes her association with devotional music despite being from a Muslim family. In an interview conducted in the past, she has revealed that her religion did not pose any obstacle in singing bhajans and that her parents have always supported her musical performances.
Shahnaz Akhtar Biography Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Shahnaz Akhtar |
| Profession | Indian devotional and playback singer |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Birthplace | Barghat, a town near Seoni in Madhya Pradesh, India |
| Hometown | Seoni region, Madhya Pradesh |
| Date of Birth | 12 November 1974 |
| Age | 51 years old |
| Music Genre | devotional and folk music |
| Known For | Bhajans, Jagrans and Religious Performances |
| First Major Album | Bam Lahari Bam Lahari |
| First Album Release | 2005 |
| Popular Song | Mori Maiya Ki Chunar Udi Jaye |
| Popular Song | Mere Bhole Se Bhole Baba |
| Popular Song | Mamta Mayi Maa |
| Education | Reported to be a graduate |
| Years Active | Since childhood |
Shahnaz Akhtar Age and Date of Birth
Shahnaz Akhtar varies from one website to another. However, the most common date of birth that appears in the biographies found on websites is 12th September 1974, making her 51 years old in 2026. Other websites give other dates, such as 1988. In the absence of any credible birth document or profile, it is best to consider 12th September 1974 as a reported date than an authentic date. A more precise biography can be written by mentioning the difference in dates.
Shahnaz Akhtar Family and Parents
Shahnaz Akhtar belongs to a musical family. In biographies written about her, her father has been mentioned as being named Ustad Mohammad Hanif who had a connection with classical music and Tabla, while her mother has been referred to as being a folk singer and she was named Shabnam Akhtar. Her involvement in music started very early since she grew up in an environment of music. One older source mentioned that her parents used to encourage her to sing devotional songs.
| Family Member | Details |
|---|---|
| Father | Ustad Mohammad Hanif |
| Mother | Shabnam Akhtar |
| Siblings | Sahil Akhtar, Gurlez Akhtar, Jasmeen Akhtar |
| Family Background | Musical family |
| Childhood Influence | her deeply musical family and her early exposure to spiritual music |
Shahnaz Akhtar Education and Qualification
The majority of the biographical information that is available refers to Shahnaz Akhtar as a graduate, but the specific name of her school, college and university is not clearly mentioned in any reliable sources. There is one old news source from The Telegraph which mentions that Shahnaz Akhtar was a first year student of Rani Durgawati Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur in 2006. The information mentioned in the above news item is more reliable than many general biography sites, but this does not mean that she graduated from the university.
Shahnaz Akhtar Musical Journey
Shahnaz’s music career has been built on the basis of live performances of devotionals and not on the popular Bollywood playback singing. At first, she would perform live devotional music for local gatherings and Mata Rani jagran events. Then she started performing at various places across central and eastern parts of India. In 2006, her performances were reported from Ranchi and she was recognized as a rising Bhojpuri singer who has gained popularity through her album “Pao Paijania.”
Shahnaz Akhtar First Album
Shahnaz Akhtar’s career of devotional recordings is mostly connected with the album “Bam Lahari,” released in 2005. According to the catalogue of Amazon Music, “Bam Lahari” of Shahnaz Akhtar was released on April 1, 2005. This album includes several Shiva devotionals such as “Bam Bam Bhola Re,” “Bam Lahari Bam Lahari,” “Brahma Vishnu Mahesh,” “Dam Dam Damru Bajaye” and “Mere Bhole Baba.”
Shahnaz Akhtar Popular Songs
Many devotional songs have been sung and recorded by Shahnaz Akhtar in the course of her music career. Some of the popular songs sung by her are:
- Mori Maiya Ki Chunar Udi Jaye
- Mere Bhole Se Bhole Baba
- Bam Lahari Bam Lahari
- Mamta Mayi Maa
- Chhum Chhum Chhananan Baje Maiya Paon Pajnaiya
- Ran Mein Kud Padi Mahakali
- Aarti Mori Maiya Ki
- Bam Bam Bhola Re
- Dam Dam Damru Bajaye
- Brahma Vishnu Mahesh
She has sung many songs on Lord Shiva, Maa Durga,
Shahnaz Akhtar Devotional Music
Her career has seen devotionals remaining the central theme of her musical performances. Akhtar performs devotionals using traditional lyrics combined with folk-style music and a lively presentation. She is most identified with Mata Rani jagrans, Navratri functions and other religious gatherings. Her strong vocals and vibrant presentation style have made her distinguishable as a performer of devotional music.
Shahnaz Akhtar as a Bhojpuri Singer
Shahnaz Akhtar remains more famous as a devotional singer currently, she was once identified as an upcoming Bhojpuri singer as well. The Telegraph stated in its 2006 report that she had gained fame through her “Pao Paijania” album and would be releasing more albums in future. This clearly indicates that she has not only performed devotional music but also other kinds of music.
Shahnaz Akhtar Live Performances
Live performances have been a crucial part of Shahnaz Akhtar’s career. She has done live performances in various religious functions, Mata Rani jagran and pujas and other cultural functions in different parts of India. According to an older report, she has been seen performing in locations like Mandla, Betul, Gondia, Narsinghpur and Jabalpur. These live performances earned her fame prior to social media becoming the platform for music promotion.
Shahnaz Akhtar and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs
Shahnaz Akhtar is that she was seen as a member of the grand jury in Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs Season 9. This live performance on TV provided her exposure other than the circuit of devotional music. It was also evident from her connection with a famous singing reality show that she has earned a good recognition through her musical performances.
Shahnaz Akhtar Religion and Spiritual Journey
Shahnaz Akhtar was born into a Muslim family, and she gained fame as a singer of devotional songs dedicated to Hindu goddesses. The practice of singing Devi songs has been a significant aspect of her public profile for a long time. Thus, in the 2011 report, Shahnaz Akhtar stated that both her Hindu and Muslim well-wishers did not oppose her choice to sing Devi bhajans and that her parents supported her. Recently, she made public statements on her links to Sanatan Dharma and the challenges she had faced as a result of her devotion.
Shahnaz Akhtar Controversies and Challenges
Shahnaz Akhtar spoke about the opposition she had been facing as a consequence of her devotional singing. Thus, in 2025, during her visit to Banda in Uttar Pradesh, she claimed that she had been threatened and attacked for her singing bhajans and Sanatan Dharma affiliation. These reports were provided by Aaj Tak in relation to her performance in Banda.
Shahnaz Akhtar Personal Life and Relationship
Shahnaz Akhtar including the details about her marriage and children is far from being consistent compared to the information about her professional activities. Various recent biography websites state that she is married to Ejaz Khan and have children. However, there are other sources offering alternative names or even none at all. Thus, in case of such inconsistencies, her husband’s name and her children’s information cannot be considered to be absolutely verified unless a personal interview confirms that.
Shahnaz Akhtar Husband
Shahnaz Akhtar is married to Ejaz Khan. However, various other websites offer other names, and the primary source information is quite scarce. The best option for an SEO article would be stating that she is said to be married to Ejaz Khan.
Shahnaz Akhtar Social Media Accounts
Shahnaz Akhtar is present on the internet through her social media profiles as well as online music websites where she performs her devotional songs.
| Platform | Account / Search Name | Followers |
|---|---|---|
| @shahnaaz_akhtar_official | 1.3M followers | |
| YouTube | @shahnaaz-akhtar | 4.49m subscribers |
| x | @ShahnazAkhatar | 51 Followers |
| @ShahnaazAkhtar | 237K followers |
As follower counts and social media handles may vary, it is always recommended to check the exact count just before publishing the article.
Shahnaz Akhtar Net Worth
Shahnaz Akhtar is not verified. The estimated net worth of Shahnaz Akhtar on some biographical websites is ₹1-2 crore. However, this amount is not calculated based on the published financial data of Shahnaz Akhtar. The possible sources of earnings for Shahnaz Akhtar could be live spiritual shows, release of music albums, royalties from the albums, digital streaming, appearance on TV, etc.
| Year | Estimated Net Worth |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Approx. ₹1 Crore* |
| 2022 | Approx. ₹1-1.25 Crore* |
| 2023 | Approx. ₹1-1.5 Crore* |
| 2024 | Approx. ₹1-1.75 Crore* |
| 2025 | Approx. ₹1-2 Crore* |
| 2026 | Approx. ₹1-2 Crore* |
These are rough estimates online. They are not confirmed official numbers.
Shahnaz Akhtar Income Sources
Shahnaz Akhtar are related to music performances. Religious programs, jagrans, and other devotional programs might pay her for her performance. Other sources of income can be from recorded music, music streaming, YouTube money, TV shows, and events. Her earnings from the above sources are not available officially.
Shahnaz Akhtar Career Highlights
- Has been singing since she was young.
- She started performing in religious programs and cultural programs.
- She got recognition for being a devotional singer from Madhya Pradesh.
- She launched her album “Bam Lahari” in 2005.
- Got recognition as a singer of songs like “Mori Maiya Ki Chunar Udi Jaye.”
- She used to perform in jagrans and religious programs in various places in India.
- Earlier, she has been referred to as a Bhojpuri singer too.
- She got recognition as a singer associated with Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs Season 9.
- She has been performing devotional songs for audiences all over India.
Shahnaz Akhtar Awards and Recognition
Shahnaz Akhtar has been known for her contributions through religious albums, live shows, and popularity among the fans of religious music. There is no official or reliable record of all the major awards she has won. However, her career longevity and participation in religious functions are better criteria for assessing her popularity.
Shahnaz Akhtar Lifestyle
Shahnaz Akhtar is largely related to devotional music and religious performances. Most of her stage performances have been characterized by her devotion as seen through her dressing up in traditional Indian wear along with religious symbols. As compared to other popular film singers, most of her performances have been done on devotional platforms.
Lesser-Known Facts About Shahnaz Akhtar
- She started singing at a very early age.
- She is well-known from Barghat in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh.
- Her parents were reportedly musical.
- Her father is well-known as Ustad Mohammad Hanif.
- Her mother is well-known as Shabnam Akhtar.
- She gained fame by singing Hindu bhajans despite belonging to a Muslim background.
- Her album called Bam Lahari was released in 2005.
- She is also considered a Bhojpuri singer according to old sources.
- She has sung at several religious programs in different Indian states.
- She has participated in Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs Season 9.
- Her exact birth date cannot be verified through all sources.
- Information on her personal family life is not always available as her music career is.
Conclusion
Shahnaz Akhtar is defined by her performance as a devotional and folk artist in India, which has been shaped through her many years of live concerts, religious recordings, and programs on devotion. Her career started in childhood and then grew into a profession with her 2005 recording of Bam Lahari being a crucial point in it. The uniqueness of her career is reflected in the fact that despite having been born to a Muslim family, she became well-known as a singer of Hindu devotional music. According to the older sources, her parents encouraged her musical preferences, but in her later interviews, she mentions the problems that she had due to her devotion.
FAQs
Who is Shahnaz Akhtar?
Shahnaz Akhtar is an Indian devotional and folk singer from Madhya Pradesh, known for bhajans, jagrans and religious performances.
What is Shahnaz Akhtar’s age?
The most widely reported date of birth is 12 September 1974, which would make her 51 years old in 2026. However, her DOB is not officially verified and conflicting dates appear online.
Where was Shahnaz Akhtar born?
She is widely reported to have been born in Barghat, in the Seoni district of Madhya Pradesh.
Who are Shahnaz Akhtar’s parents?
Her father is widely reported as Ustad Mohammad Hanif, a classical musician and tabla player, and her mother as Shabnam Akhtar, a folk singer.
Is Shahnaz Akhtar married?
Several recent online sources report that she is married to Ejaz Khan, but her private-life information is not consistently documented across reliable sources.
What is Shahnaz Akhtar’s net worth?
Her exact net worth is not publicly known. Online estimates generally place it around ₹1-2 crore, but these figures are not officially confirmed.
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