Gafruddin Mewati Jogi Age, Wife, Children, Family, Biography

Some Lesser Known Facts About Gafruddin Mewati Jogi

• Gafruddin Mewati Jogi was born in Kaithwara village of district Deeg of Rajasthan.

• He belongs to the traditional Mewati Jogi community, which has preserved folk music and oral storytelling for generations.

• Jogi did his formal education till class 9 and then dedicated himself completely to folk music.

• He started learning music as a small child from his father, Budh Singh Jogi through the traditional guru-shishya system.

• Since childhood, Gafruddin is mastered in Bhapang, Jogiya Sarangi, Dholak, and Mewati-Vraj devotional singing.

• For several decades. he travelled village to village and supported his family financially by performing traditional songs.

• Gafruddin Mewati Jogi is regarded as one of the last surviving artists, who can perform the complete Pandun Ka Kada, a Mewati oral version of the Mahabharata contiaining more than 2,500 couplets.

• Besides the Mahabharata, he preserved traditional performances of the Lok Ramayana, Bhawan Shiv ka Byawale, and Shri Krishna Leela in the Ali Baksh tradition.

• In his traditional musician journey, Jogi has performed at various major cultural events organised by the Ministry of Culture and leading institution across India.

• He has appeared on stages hosted by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, National School of Drama, Jawahar Kala Kendra, Rajasthan Tourism Department, and several other cultural organisations.
  

  Gafruddin Mewati Jogi, while performing on the stage

• Since the early 1990s, Gafruddin Mewati Jogi has represented Indian folk music in countries including, Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Japan, and the UAE.

• In 1993, Gafruddin Mewati Jogi received Yuva Puraskar, one of the earliest recognitions of his contributions to Rajasthan’s folk music. It was his first award.

• Later in 1996, he was honoured with both the Flower Award and the Saksharta Jagrukta Samman for promoting folk culture. And in 1997, he received the Lok Parampara Utkrisht Samman for preserving traditional folk heritage.

• In 2007, he founded the Brajrang Mewat Sahitya Lok Kala Sansthan in Bharatpur to promote and preserve folk arts.

• Researchers have used his performances and knowledge for academic studies, including Ph.D. level research on folk tradition. He has trained many young artists, including his son Shaharukh Khan Mewati Jogi, his grandson Danish Jogi, and several other disciples.

• In 2016, Jogi received the Rajasthan State Honour for his contribution to folk music.

• In 2022, he was awarded with prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi in the Folk and Traditional Music (Bhapang) category.

• On 26 January 2026, on the occasion of 77th Republic Day, Jogi’s name was announced for the Padma Shri in recognition of his lifelong contribution to preserving India’s folk heritage.

• In May 2026, he received the Padma Shri from the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, and became one of the country’s most celebrated folk artists and brought national recognition to the centuries-old musical traditions of the Mewati Jogi Community.
  

  Gafruddin Mewati Jogi, while receiving Padma Shri Award (2026) from the President of India, Droupadi Murmu