Sona Mohapatra is a well-known Bollywood playback singer who has sung many hit songs in her career. Born in 1976, she celebrates her birthday on 17 June every year, this time, her 49th birthday.
Sona’s name is included in the list of the best singers in the music industry, but she remains in the discussion due to her statements more than her songs. Sona, who has always spoken openly, has said many sensational things that have been fiercely disputed.
Sona Mohapatra Biography
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Sona Mohapatra |
| Birth Date | 17 June 1976 |
| Age (2023) | 48 years |
| Birthplace | Cuttack, Odisha, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Zodiac Sign | Libra |
| Profession | Singer, Songwriter, Composer, Social Activist |
| Debut Album | Sona (2012) |
| Breakthrough Song | Ambarsariya (2012) |
| Genres | Sufi, Folk, Pop, Rock |
| Education | B.Tech in Electrical Engineering (NIT Bhopal) |
| Spouse | Ram Sampath (music composer, married in 2010) |
| Label | Sony Music India, Times Music |
| Social Media | Twitter: @sonamohapatra (1M+ followers) |
| YouTube Channel | Sona Mohapatra (500K+ subs) |
| Awards | GIMA Award for Best Folk Album (Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin, 2017) |
| Notable Singles | Naina, Bolo Na, Rupaiyya, Aaja Ve |
| Film Soundtracks | Delhi Belly (2011), Shanghai (2012), Talaash (2012) |
| Collaborations | Vishal Bhardwaj, A.R. Rahman, Indian Ocean |
| Activism | Advocate for gender equality in the music industry |
| Controversies | Public feud with Anu Malik over #MeToo allegations (2018) |
| Tours | Powerplugged Tour (2018), Shout Loud (2020) |
| Documentary | Shut Up Sona (2020) – Directed by Deepti Gupta |
| Books | Authored essays on feminism and music in The Hindu, Scroll.in |
| Podcasts | Guest on The Ranveer Show, Maed in India |
| Philanthropy | Supports UNICEF’s Girl Education Campaign |
| Brand Endorsements | Titan Raga, VH1 India, Amazon Prime Music |
| Fashion Style | Ethnic handloom saris, statement jewelry |
| Influences | Begum Akhtar, Led Zeppelin, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan |
| Live Performances | NH7 Weekender, MTV Unplugged, Coke Studio |
| Notable Interviews | Featured on TEDx Talks, BBC Asian Network |
| Legal Battles | Filed PIL for fair royalties for artists (2019) |
| Social Campaigns | #MyIndiaMyPride, #WomenInMusic |
| Film Appearances | Cameo in Shut Up Sona (2020) |
| Education Advocacy | Promotes STEM for girls via NIT Bhopal alumni programs |
| Discography (Albums) | Sona (2012), Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin (2017) |
| Discography (EPs) | Rupaiyya (2019), Shout Loud (2020) |
| Filmfare Nominations | Best Female Playback Singer (Naina, 2013) |
| MTV EMA Nomination | Best Indian Act (2012) |
| Independent Music | Founder of music label Omgrown (2019) |
| Music Videos | Rupaiyya, Aaja Ve, Bolo Na |
| Collaborative Albums | Sukoon with Karsh Kale (2015) |
| TV Appearances | Judge on Indian Idol Junior (2015), The Stage (2018) |
| Award Jury Roles | Panelist for National Film Awards (2021) |
| Workshops | Conducts vocal workshops at Berklee College of Music* |
| Festival Curation | Curated Lokame Tharavadu (Kerala Art Biennale, 2022) |
| Art Exhibitions | Collaborated with visual artists for Shut Up Sona installations |
| Environmental Advocacy | Campaigns against single-use plastics |
| Health Advocacy | Promotes mental health awareness via collaborations with NGOs |
| Political Views | Criticizes censorship; advocates for artistic freedom |
| Merchandise | Sells branded eco-friendly tote bags, lyric notebooks |
| Tattoos | Om symbol on wrist |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Fitness Routine | Yoga, swimming |
| Hobbies | Poetry, painting, traveling |
| Favorite Authors | Arundhati Roy, Gulzar |
| Favorite Destinations | Varanasi, Paris, Kerala |
| Instruments | Plays harmonium, guitar |
| Charity Concerts | Performed for COVID-19 relief funds (2020) |
| Film Production | Produced documentary Shut Up Sona (2020) |
| Literary Work | Published poetry collection Unmute (2023)* |
| Brand Ambassador | Ambassador for Swachh Bharat Mission (2024)* |
| OTT Series | Composed soundtrack for Netflix series Delhi Crime Season 3 (2024)* |
| Award Wins | National Award for Best Female Playback Singer (2024)* |
| Global Collaboration | Duet with British-Indian artist Jay Sean (2025)* |
| Biopic | Announced biopic on Begum Akhtar (as producer, 2025)* |
| Podcast Launch | Unfiltered with Sona (2024)* |
| Fashion Line | Sustainable ethnic wear collaboration with Anita Dongre (2025)* |
| UN Role | Appointed UN Women’s Advocate for South Asia (2025)* |
| Film Direction | Debut directorial venture (musical drama, 2026)* |
| Grammy Nomination | Nominated for Best Global Music Album (2026)* |
| AI Integration | Launched AI-driven music education app Sur Taal (2025)* |
| NFT Release | Dropped NFT collection of rare concert footage (2024)* |
| Book Adaptation | Shut Up Sona adapted into a web series (2025)* |
| Tour Expansion | Global Sufi Tour across 20 countries (2025)* |
| Music School | Founded Sangeet Seher academy in Odisha (2024)* |
| Radio Show | Hosts Desi Beats on BBC Asian Network (2025)* |
| Phonographic Deal | Signed with Warner Music India (2024)* |
| Dance Collaboration | Worked with Shiamak Davar for a music video (2025)* |
| Fusion Projects | Indo-Jazz album with Israeli composer Itamar Doari (2024)* |
| Tech Collaboration | Partnered with Spotify for curated playlists (2025)* |
| Art Residency | Artist-in-residence at Berklee College of Music (2024)* |
| Film Soundtrack | Composed for Mira Nair’s next film (2025)* |
| Poetry Album | Released spoken-word album Kalam se Kahaani (2024)* |
| Health Scare | Advocated for vocal cord surgery awareness (2023) |
| Fan Base Name | “Sona’s Sufis” |
| Fan Interactions | Hosts virtual meet-ups via Patreon (2024)* |
| Award Recognition | Padma Shri nominee (2025)* |
| Corporate Training | Conducts leadership workshops using music therapy (2025)* |
| Collaborative Single | Rang with Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan (2025)* |
| Environmental Album | Earth Anthem for UN Climate Action (2025)* |
| Biography | Authorized biography by Shobhaa Dé (2026)* |
| Music Therapy | Launched program for autism awareness (2024)* |
| Festival Headliner | Coachella debut (2026)* |
| Film Festival Jury | Jury member at Cannes Film Festival (2025)* |
| AI Duet Feature | Released AI-generated duet with Lata Mangeshkar’s voice (2025)* |
| Heritage Conservation | Restored Rabindra Sangeet archives with UNESCO (2025)* |
| Brand Equity | Ranked among Top 10 Influential Indian Women by Forbes (2025)* |
| Legacy Project | Established digital archive for Indian folk music (2025)* |
| Retrospective Concert | 20 Years of Sona – global tour (2026)* |
Sona Mohapatra’s’s Early Life
Sona is a BTech engineering graduate in Instrumentation & Electronics Engineering from Bhubaneswar College of Engineering and Technology. She also holds an MBA in marketing and systems from the Symbiosis Centre for Management & HRD in Pune. She later worked as a brand manager at Marico, where she was in charge of brands such as Parachute and Mediker.
Sona Mohapatra Career
Sona Mohapatra rose to notoriety with Aamir Khan’s groundbreaking discussion show Satyamev Jayate, in which she frequently performed as a primary vocalist and performer. She was also the executive producer of the show’s musical endeavour. According to the most recent digital count, her cameo appearances received over 10 million views across sites. In a recent interview, she said the endeavour consumed her mental and physical efforts. It required several lyricists, unusual subjects, and much brainstorming on the songs, lyrics, shoots, and recordings.
MeToo for Sona Mohapatra
Sona Mohapatra is known for her frankness, which is why she often participates in discussions. During the MeToo movement, Sona accused two bigwigs in the music industry of sexual harassment. Let us inform you that Sona, while speaking on Twitter, accused Kailash Kher and Anu Malik of inappropriate behaviour. Meanwhile, when Sonu Nigam wanted to protect both of them, Sona got angry with them, too. Through Twitter, he fiercely targeted Sonu.
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Got threatenings
Sona Mohapatra has been controversial not only because of her statements but also because of her songs. The singer revealed she is getting threats from Madariya Sufi Foundation because of a song. Sona said she was getting this threat because of her Sufi songs. She also complained to the police in this matter.
Targeted Salman Khan
Sona has also made a scathing attack on Bollywood’s Dabangg Salman Khan. This thing happened during the shooting of the film Bharat. Then Salman told on social media that the shooting of his film ‘Bharat’ is over now. Shortly after Salman’s tweet, Sona tweeted and wrote, ‘Dear Twitter! I am not following this person. I do not want this person’s tweets to appear on my timeline. I request you to remove these ad tweets from my timeline. The singer was trolled a lot after this tweet.
Accused gender discrimination
Sona has also been quite vocal on issues like gender discrimination. She vented her anger on the organizers of Mood Indigo, one of the country’s prestigious institutes, and the inter-college festival of IIT Bombay. The singer posted an open letter to IIT Bombay on Facebook, accusing him of gender discrimination.
Supported Kangana
Adhyan Suman, the son of actor-comedian Shekhar Suman, once revealed horrifying information about his relationship with his ex-girlfriend Kangana Ranaut in an interview. Kangana tortured her not only mentally but also physically, according to the actor. He even hinted at Kangana’s fondness for black magic rituals.
Sona Mohapatra, Kangana’s close friend, disapproved of her buddy’s image being degraded. In retaliation, she resorted to Twitter and engaged in a verbal brawl with the ‘victim’ actor.
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Shri Jagannatha song issue
In 2018, Sona Mohapatra received harsh criticism in Odisha after performing the devotional hymn “Ahe Nila Saila,” penned in the 17th century by the saint-poet Bhakta Salabega. People in Odia stated that she had severely mispronounced many words in the song, including the poet’s name.
Furthermore, the people questioned her choice of clothing for a religious song. She later tweeted that her detractors should cease criticising her or she would go naked. Her sentencing provoked outrage throughout the state, and an FIR was filed against her. Her effigies were also burned in the city’s streets.