Musical Prodigy: At Just 9, Esther Is Singing India’s Story Of Unity & Pride

New Delhi: As India celebrates its 77th Republic Day, Republic TV caught an exclusive interview with 9-year-old national sensation Esther Lalduhawmi Hnamte, who was awarded the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2025. Esther, who hails from Lunglei, Mizoram, has won the national attention with her powerful voice and heartfelt performances.

During her appearance on Republic TV's "Proud To Be Indian" segment, Esther captivated the viewers with a beautiful rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’. Further, Esther’s family revealed that she has an innate ability to pick up tunes effortlessly. Despite her growing popularity and frequent performances, Esther maintains a disciplined routine, balancing her studies with around two hours of daily singing practice. 

Esther first caught national eyes with her viral rendition of A. R. Rahman's ‘Maa Tujhe Salaam’ during the COVID-19 restrictions. Even though she does not speak English or Hindi, she memorises Hindi and English songs by repeated singing with her friends. She also performed “Jana Gana Mana” with the Indian Army, gaining national attention.

In 2025, she was honoured with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (India's highest civilian honour for children) for her contribution to music and culture.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during his visit to Mizoram last year, had gifted her a guitar and blessed her for a brilliant future ahead. Nothing that “love for Bharat” unites all Indians, Shah said the child's love for Bharat Mata pours out into her singing, making listening to her a mesmerizing experience.

 Esther Lalduhawmi Hnamte is also a YouTube sensation with more than one million subscribers, among the first individual creators from Mizoram to achieve this feat.

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