✦ Celebrity stories, facts and career updates. Explore F4U now →

Home › Biography › Daler Mehndi

Daler Mehndi biographyFeatured Biography

Image source: StarsUnfolded

Celebrities

Daler Mehndi Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth18 August 1967

Age56 Years

BirthplacePatna, Bihar

ProfessionSinger, Songwriter, Politician

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseTaranpreet Kaur

FamilyFather - Ajmer Singh Chandan; Mother - Balbir Kaur; Brothers - Mika Singh, Shamsher Mehndi and three more; Children - Gurdeep Mehndi, Ajit Kaur Mehndi, Prabhjot Kaur Mehndi, Rabaab Kaur Mehndi

Daler Mehndi Biography

Daler Mehndi is an Indian singer, songwriter and politician known for bringing bhangra and pop to a wide audience. Born in Patna in 1967, he rose to fame a

Early life and background

Daler Mehndi was born on 18 August 1967 in Patna, Bihar. Raised in a family with musical ties, his father Ajmer Singh Chandan was a musician and farmer and his mother Balbir Kaur competed as a state-level wrestler. He began studying music at a very young age, learning ragas and Shabads from the Guru Granth Sahib under his parents' guidance. By the age of 13 he had already performed on a large stage in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, and between ages 14 and 17 he devoted several years to vocal training and to learning instruments such as the tabla, dholak, harmonium and tanpura from Ustad Raahat Ali Khan of Gorakhpur.

Before his mainstream success he spent time abroad, moving to San Francisco where he worked as a taxi driver. He returned to India in 1991 and formed a band, initially singing ghazals inspired by poets such as Qateel Shifai and Firaq Gorakhpuri. In 1995 he shifted his focus from classical and ghazal styles to pop and bhangra, a change that coincided with his commercial breakthrough.

Career

Daler Mehndi's debut album, Bolo Ta Ra Ra, appeared in 1995 and became a major commercial success. The album's popularity helped make him a defining voice of contemporary bhangra-pop in India and beyond. He is frequently associated with energetic stage performances and a fusion of traditional Punjabi rhythms with pop production.

In addition to studio recordings, Mehndi has recorded for films; one early film credit as a playback singer is for the song "Na Na Na Na Na Re" in the 1997 film Mrityudatta. Over the years he has been identified by nicknames that reflect his public persona, including Sardar of Swing and King of Bhangra.

Beyond music, Mehndi has been active in politics. He joined the Indian National Congress (INC) in 2013 and later switched his affiliation to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in April 2019, joining in the presence of senior party figures. His public life has therefore combined artistic work with political engagement.

Public profile

Mehndi's public image blends musical showmanship with a larger-than-life stage identity. Physically, he is described as being around 168 cm (1.68 m) tall with brown eyes and black hair. His listed weight is approximately 90 kg. He follows Sikhism and has cited musical influences such as Ghulam Ali and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Personal interests noted in public profiles include travelling and dancing, and a favorite beverage is lassi.

Mehndi is married to Taranpreet Kaur. He has several children, including daughter Gurdeep Mehndi and daughter Ajit Kaur Mehndi; Ajit is married to Navraj Hans, son of Punjabi singer Hans Raj Hans. Additional daughters named in public records include Prabhjot Kaur Mehndi and Rabaab Kaur Mehndi.

Controversies and legal matters

Publicly reported legal matters have affected Mehndi's profile. He was accused in an immigration-related case originating in 2003 and later convicted in that case in March 2018, receiving a two-year jail sentence from a Patiala court; he was granted bail shortly after that sentencing. In July 2022, a district court in Patiala dismissed his appeal and ordered him to serve a two-year sentence related to the 2003 case. Separately, in 2003 a legal challenge was brought by an Islamic group concerning words and imagery in one of his albums; some words and references were subsequently altered. In November 2022 authorities sealed a farmhouse near Damdama lake in Sohna, Gurugram, that had been described as illegally constructed.

Other notes

Mehndi has been credited with several firsts in exploring digital platforms for performance. He was among the earliest Indian celebrities reported to perform in the Metaverse and in March 2022 became the first Indian reported to purchase virtual land there, which he named "Balle Balle Land." Public profiles also record a per-song fee figure commonly cited in coverage.

Latest updates

As of 2019 Daler Mehndi was affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party. In 2022 court rulings and enforcement actions arising from earlier legal proceedings were part of his public timeline. That same year he made headlines for acquiring virtual property in the Metaverse. His career continues to be defined by a long-running recording and performance history that began with his mid-1990s breakthrough.
◈

Recent Work

Bolo Ta Ra Ra

Debut album that launched his mainstream career in 1995.

1995
Na Na Na Na Na Re (song)

Playback singing credit in the film Mrityudatta.

1997
✦

Career Highlights

  1. Debut album Bolo Ta Ra Ra (1995) became a major commercial success
  2. Shifted from classical and ghazal styles to pop and bhangra in the mid-1990s
  3. Entered politics with INC in 2013 and joined BJP in 2019
  4. Early adopter of Metaverse performances and virtual land ownership
?

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Daler Mehndi born?

18 August 1967

What is Daler Mehndi known for?

Singer, Songwriter, Politician

What is Daler Mehndi’s marital status?

Married

Who is Daler Mehndi married to?

Taranpreet Kaur