Meena Rana

Some Lesser Known Facts About Meena Rana

• Meena Rana was born in a Garhwali Family in Delhi. After completing her middle school from Delhi, she went to her sister, Uma’s home in Mussoorie, where she completed her schooling from Mussoorie Girls Inter College.

• At the age of 16, she started performing at the Akashvani Club in Mussoorie. The first song that she sang was ‘Nainon Me Badra Chhaye’ by Lata Mangeshkar. The club was owned by Mukesh Lal Kumola (a relative) and Ram Lal Kumola, her elder sister’s husband.

• The folk singers, Mani Bharti and Puran Singh Rawat spotted her at the club and contacted her through Ram Lal Kumola (her sister’s husband). They offered her to sing in their upcoming Garhwali film “Nauni Pichhadi Nauni” (1992). She accepted the offer and went to Delhi in 1991 to record songs for the film. Therefore, making her debut with the songs ‘Ni Biwanu Shairu Ma,’ ‘Baith Dola Laadi,’ and ‘Jando Ni Chhaun Mi.’

• In an interview, she confessed that before making her singing debut, she had not take any formal training in music. It was after a few years of her debut that she started to learn music.

• She has sung in many popular Uttarakhandi albums such as Chand Taro Maa, Meri Khati Mitthi, Darbar Nirala Sai Ka, Utrakhandi Garhwali Teri Meri Maya, Meru Uttarakhand, Chilbilat, Mohana, Chandra, and Lalita Chi Hum.

• She has also collaborated with many popular Uttarakhandi singers including Narendra Singh Negi, Pritam Bharatwan, Fauji Lalit Mohan Joshi, Anil Bisht, Gajendra Rana, and Manglesh Dangwal.

• Meena has sung in many languages including Garhwali, Kumaoni, Jaunsari, Jaunpuri, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, Kargali, Balti, Hindi, and has recorded more than 500 songs in Ladakhi.

• Her Husband, Sanjay Kumola is the owner of the recording studio ‘Surbhi Multi-Track Sound Studio.’ The name of the studio was kept after her daughter, Surbhi.

• Meena’s Husband is also her sister’s brother-in-law. They both used to sing together at Akashvani club in Mussoorie. Meena’s sister, Uma thought that they both are a perfect match for each other, and arranged their marriage.
  

• In an interview, she revealed that initially, she wanted to become a nurse.

• She took the folk singing of Uttarakhand to a national and international scene, through her live shows and concerts. She has given performances in countries like Oman, Australia, and the UAE.