Started Singing At 3: Meet Esther Hnamte, 9-Year-Old Singing Sensation Who Received Presidential Honour
New Delhi: Esther Lalduhawmi Hnamte, a nine-year-old girl from Mizoram received the prestigious Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar from President Droupadi Murmu standing in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The girl at a very younger age received the award for her cultural contribution through her extraordinary musical prowess. The Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar is given to children for exceptional achievements in the fields of Bravery, Social Service, Environment, Sports, Art & Culture and Science & Technology. The president conferred the awards in a ceremony held in New Delhi.
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Born in Lunglei to a Blacksmith, Esther began singing at the age of 3. She began by singing in local churches, but her voice reached far crossing nocks and corners. Esther’s heartwarming renditions of patriotic anthems captured millions of hearts online. One of her viral performances is AR Rahman’s ‘Maa Tujhe Salaam’ and the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’. The duo released with the Assam Rifles made her an overnight sensation even before she started going to school.
Sharing the development on his social media platform, Mizoram governor Vijay Kumar Singh congratulated the “young singing prodigy” from his state. Calling it moment of immense pride for Mizoram and the nation, the governor said that the little girl’s soulful renditions of “Maa Tujhe Salaam”, “Vande Mataram”, and several other patriotic songs have touched millions of hearts across the nation, inspiring deep feelings of patriotism and beautifully celebrating India’s unity in diversity.
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“At such a tender age, Esther Hnamte truly embodies national pride and cultural harmony, making her a shining inspiration for Viksit Bharat. It is a moment of immense pride for Mizoram and the nation. Wishing you a continued success and a bright future ahead,” Kumar Singh wrote on X.
Heartiest congratulations to Esther Lalduhawmi Hnamte, the young singing prodigy from Mizoram, on receiving the prestigious Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar.
Her soulful renditions of “Maa Tujhe Salaam”, “Vande Mataram”, and several other patriotic songs have touched… pic.twitter.com/NCWLKXfvdJ
— Governor of Mizoram (@MizoramGovernor) December 26, 2025
