Sonu Nigam: Performing at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in front of President Murmu and staying there for a night was an honour
In an exclusive chat with us after his performance at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Sonu Nigam tells us how President Droupadi Murmu treated him and his family.
To mark the Rashtrapati Bhavan Diwas on February 3, Sonu Nigam performed at the newly inaugurated Open Air Theatre in the President's Estate in front of the President of India Droupadi Murmu. Talking to us exclusively after the performance, the singer says, “As an Indian, to be invited to perform on the Rashtrapati Bhavan Divas and to get the opportunity to not only perform in front of the President of India, but also have a one-on-one interaction with her was an overwhelming feeling."


He adds, "I was the first artiste to perform at the newly built amphitheatre. It’s a matter of good fortune. They invited my family too, so my father (veteran singer Agam Kumar Nigam), sister (singer and yoga guru Meenal Nigam) and brother-in-law Sumit accompanied me.”

Speaking about the time spent with President Murmu, Sonu adds, “Our President is such a beautiful soul. She made us feel so comfortable from the very outset. You’re bound to be naturally low-key and inhibited in front of the President, but she broke the ice by talking about my musical journey, my Sa Re Ga Ma days and how I’ve represented India globally. That felt so rewarding."

Sonu calls performing at the Rashtrapati Bhavan “an honour”, but adds how it wasn’t a cakewalk. “I suffered an acute back spasm recently and I wasn’t in a great shape before the performance yesterday. However, the President’s doctor attended to me for about 45 minutes before the show and I felt better and managed to pull off a great show, which received a lot of love," he says. Sonu adds, "The occasion was also special because this was the first time that I performed with my father and sister on the same stage. So, the three Nigams ended the performance in front of the President. God’s been kind.”

Sonu and his family were also hosted at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for the night. “After the show, we were taken to the Rashtrapati Bhavan museum. It was such a pleasant surprise to see a picture of me receiving the Padma Shri in the Padma Awards section, which only had 12 photos. Post that, my family and I had dinner at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and we had the honour of spending the night there too. We went to the Amrit Udayan this morning,” Sonu ends.
