Mother’s Day 2023: Sonu Sood, Ricky Kej, Shilpa Rao pen heartfelt notes for their moms

On Mother’s Day today, musicians Ricky Kej, Sonu Nigam, Salim Merchant, Shilpa Rao and Ikka share thoughtful notes thanking their moms for their support.

Sonu Nigam

Mother’s Day: Musicians thank their moms

I have been a mamma’s boy, and till today I haven’t come to terms with her death. She was a very kind and loving lady.

Sonu Nigam with his mother

She sang very well and had a very good sense of rhythm. Her handwriting was like calligraphy. I would try to write like her, both in Hindi and English. She taught me the etiquettes of saying sorry, thank you and touching the feet of elders to take their blessings. She was the pivot of our family, forever missed.

Ikka

My mother has played a very important role in making me what I am.

Ikka with his mother

She has been a motivator and my inspiration as far as hard work, consistency and staying connected to our roots is concerned. She is my biggest supporter as well as critic, who helps me take crucial decisions and makes my life simpler.

Shilpa Rao

The things I’ve learnt from my mom are endless. From being fearless to being motivated, I’ve got it all from her.

Shilpa Rao with her mum

Around 2018-2019, I’d developed a vocal sickness called Thyroiditis. I would cough endlessly, and I thought I won’t be able to sing. While my dad would say, ‘We’ll see a doctor and you’ll be fine.’, my mum would say, ‘So what if you can’t sing? Will you stop living?’ She made me understand that there’s so much more to life, so you can’t give up in any situation. She’s inspired me in the most unimaginable ways.

Ricky Kej

My mum is an absolute multitasker and a great people person. This is what I have learnt from her.

Ricky Kej with his mother

Growing up, she could handle my brother and my school responsibilities, her kitty parties, creating art at home — all this while holding on to her phone and gossiping with her friends! I also learnt how to nurture and maintain genuine relationships with people. My mum grew up in India and the USA and combined the best from both cultures, something I believe I learnt from her.

Salim Merchant

My mum was my biggest force. She was really aligned with our music.

Salim Merchant and Sulaiman Merchant (far right) with their mother

She was our biggest fan and supporter. In our family, she was the only non-musician, as my father, my brother (Sulaiman Merchant; composer) and I were all musicians. So, she would bring about that perfect balance. She pushed us to excel in whatever we did. Our father left us a little early, so she always offered us the support and push that was needed. Today, we are who we are because of her.