Raju Singh
Raju Singh (Full name: Rajinder Singh Panesar) is an Indian film and TV background score composer, music director, session musician, singer and a guitarist. His first collaboration was with Malkit Singh of Hai Jamalo fame. Together with Adesh Srivastav they released an album called I Love Golden Star which was quite a rage in the underground circles in Britain. Some of his early compositions include of serials like Dekh Bhai Dekh, Filmi Chakkar, Aahat, Boogie Woogie and CID. Early life. Rajinder Singh Panesar, aka Raju Singh, was born on 3 April 1969 in Mumbai, India. Son of Gursharan  Kaur Panesar and Charanjit Singh Panesar; his father hails from Amritsar and Mother from Ferozepur, Punjab. Singh's family lived in Juhu, Mumbai. He attended St. Xavier's High school, Vile Parle and completed college from Mithibai college in 1986. Raju Singh has been an integral part of the music industry from a very young age of 16 years when he would play the Bass guitar for the veteran music director R.D. Burman. Learning from the masters from such a young age has imbibed in Raju a deep understanding of the role of music in films. Singh's school friends  remember him as a guitar and drummer boy. Singh did his first album an Instrumental Tracks Power Of Music with his friend Aadesh Shrivastav in the year 1987 under the label of Venus. He attended Sangeet Mahabharati founded by Pt. Nikhil Gosh and Complete Theory of Trinity College of London. The first instrument he learned to play was the guitar, followed by tabla and piano. His guitar teachers were Mr. Bonny D’ Costa, Mr. Dilip Naik, Mr. Mendes and Mr. Das, Late Mr. Bismak . He learned Tabla from Late Mr. Eknath Pimpley and Late Mr. Prakash Gore. His Piano teacher  was Mr. Mendes. Singh can play the Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Tabla and Piano. Looking back to his childhood Singh says, "I used to accompany my dad to the studio and often watch him play with the likes of S D Burman, R D Burman & Laxmikant–Pyarelal, this created a strong desire to be one amongst them. After returning home I used to play in front of the mirror and dad used to secretly watch me and when I was done he used to appreciate my work. His words helped me build myself in music." As a child , Singh used to accompany his teacher Mendes to an NGO near Worli every Sunday and they used to spend time playing different types of instruments with many other musicians. Singh says "This practice taught me an important lesson, the lesson of humility which proved to be useful in every walk of life. Musical career. As a musician, Singh started playing for Uttam Singh who introduced him as a guitarist for the song Mere Pyar Ki Umar for the movie Waaris, sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Manmohan. Initially he started off as a guitarist with R D Burman and had the  honour to be a part of his last movie then slowly progressed on to become an arranger, music director, composer and scorer for Bollywood movies later composing and directing for television and advertising. One of the famous hits is Soniyo from , Gungunati Hain from Satta. Albums. He has worked with famous names in the industry like Javed Akhtar, Sonu Nigam, KK, Shaan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan & Asha Bhosale. With Javed Akhtar on albums like Tum Yaad Aayein, Tum Aayein & Shayarana With Sonu Nigam on Sapne ki Baat, Mera dil chahe & Koi baat nahi. With KK on O Jaana  in With Sunidhi Chauhan on Aira Gaira Nathu Khaira. Film Scores. Raju Singh has worked with one of the renowned banners Vishesh Films, he has worked on a total of 25 films within a decade with Mahesh Bhatt & Mukesh Bhatt. Some of the famous films that he worked on are Tum Mile, Jannat 2, Murder 2, Khamoshiyan, City Lights, Mr. X & Crook He has also worked on all the films directed by director Mohit Suri, some of which includes names like Aashiqui 2, Hamari Adhuri Kahani & Ek Villain. With director Madhur Bhandarkar he has worked on famous movies like Chandni  Bar, Traffic Signal & Page 3 With T-Series, he has worked on movies like Yaariyan, Sanam Re & Junooniyat. Raju Singh also worked on Punjab 1984 which won a National Award. TV Title Songs and Background Music. Raju Singh started his career in TV title songs from the TV Serial Dekh Bhai Dekh produced by Jaya Bachchan in 1993 then there has been no looking today he has given music to nearly 125 serial's amounting to more than 12000 episodes. Some of the famous serials include names like Just Mohabbat, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?, CID, Jassi Jaissi Koi  Nahin. Web Series/Short Film. Raju Singh started his career in TV title songs from their TV Serial and then some of the web series include names like Haq Se" and PM Selfiewallie" which was produced by Ekta Kapoor. Personal life. Singh is married to Sherley Singh with two children Joshua Singh and Rachel Singh. Joshua, also a musician, was a ukulele player and drummer for the band Spud in the Box from 2013 to 2017 and Rachel is currently studying at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. His father Charanjit Singh Panesar was a musician  who often played as a guitarist with R D Burman and his dad S D Burman. In 1982, armed with Roland gear, Singh set out to update the entrancing drone and whirling scales of classical Indian music with his record Ten Ragas to a DIsco Beat. After nearly three decades of near-complete obscurity, the album resurfaced when Bombay Connection label impresario Edo Bouman snapped it up while travelling in India. After which he has been given the title 'the father of Acid House’ for the album. His mother Gursharan Kaur Panesar a housewife was a painter and an artist , with only one sibling, a younger sister, Jasleen Khanna. Awards and nominations. Singh and Aadesh Shrivastava received their first award together, The Gold Disc Award in the year 1988 for his album "golden star". 2009, he was awarded Mirchi Music Award – Best background score for the movie ‘’. He won The Indian Telly Awards for Best title music & background score for Sahib Biwi Ghulam & Amber Dhara in 2005 and 2008 respectively. Recently he has achieved the 2015 PTC Punjabi Film Awards for the best background score for the movie "Punjab 1984" and The 2016 Golden Petal Award for background score – fiction  Ashoka.