Hema Sardesai

Some Lesser Known Facts About Hema Sardesai

• Since childhood, she was inclined towards singing. She used to actively participate in various singing competitions in her school.

• When she was six years old, her music teacher Mrs. Sequiera realised that Hema was a born singer. So, she decided to train Hema in singing professionally.

• At the age of 9, she performed in public for the first time at the Navratri celebration.

• She did Sangeet Visharad from Pandit Sudhakar Karandikar in Indian Classical Music.

• When she was 11, she performed at the concert of the Indian magician D Satish.

• She has won various music competitions at the inter-state, national, and international levels.

• Hema Sardesai once performed at the Grand Prix International Pop Song Festival in Germany. She has also performed at the International UNICEF Concert in Europe.

• In 1997, she lent her voice to various Hindi films like Sapne, Biwi No.1, and Jaanam Samjha Karo.

• She has been working for the Save the Girl Child campaign since 1998.

• She has sung for the songs of more than 60 Bollywood films including Yaadein (2001), Baghban (2003), Musafir (2004), Garam Masala (2005), and Chak De! India (2007).

• Hema has been associated with various other social welfare campaigns like Beti Bachao, women empowerment, anti-SEZ, eco-friendly Ganesh idols, and preference for locals for jobs in Goa.

• In 2013, she acted in the Hindi film ‘The Coffin Maker.’

• Hema Sardesai is a supporter of the Bharatiya Janata Party and has been a part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

  

• In 2017, Hema Sardesai led a group of singers and artists in a campaign against Sadhvi Saraswati, who had publicly requested the government to “hang beef eaters.” Hema said that such statements could disturb the harmony in Goa.

• On 8 May 2019, she was invited as a chief guest at the Woman Bhaskar Award ceremony organised by Dainik Bhaskar.

  

• In October 2019, when the Indian musician Anu Malik was accused in the #MeToo Movement, Hema came to his defence.

• Hema Sardesai had an inter-caste marriage.

• In 2019, her husband was diagnosed with cancer, after which he had to undergo major surgery. In the same year, he was admitted to Narayana Hospital Bangalore for nine weeks. Hema used to stay with him all the time to take care of him. During treatment, he died of a heart attack on 21 November 2020.

• Hema Sardesai loves animals and is often seen feeding stray animals.