New Delhi: It’s been a frantic week for nine-year-old Esther Hnamte. After receiving the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar and singing ‘Maa Tujhe Salaam’ for PM Narendra Modi in Delhi, she returned home to Mizoram in the kind of grand cavalcade usually reserved for a chief minister. And now she’s packing again. The Ambanis have invited her to Mumbai to perform for them at their fortress Antilia.
“We didn’t believe it at first, but now we are preparing to leave for Mumbai,” Hnamte said over the phone from her home in Lunglei, south Mizoram.
The viral singing prodigy received the prestigious Rashtriya Bal Puraskar from President Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan last Friday. Soon after, she sang for the Prime Minister—the second time she has done so since last year, when she performed ‘Vande Mataram’ at the Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav 2024.
Her homecoming was a grand affair. Peeking out from the sunroof of her vehicle, Esther smiled and waved as crowds lined the streets, holding bouquets and garlands, filming the convoy of cars, motorcycles, and even a marching band.
Amid the welcome in Mizoram, surrounded by MLAs, neighbours, and family, her phone kept buzzing with congratulatory messages from her fan base: more than one million subscribers on YouTube and 215,000 followers on Instagram. Then came another unexpected call that left the family stunned—an invitation from the Ambani family to visit Antilia.
Esther and her parents are leaving for Mumbai on Saturday but declined to share the exact date of the performance, citing an agreement with the Ambani team not to divulge details. Patriotic songs, of course, will be part of the lineup.
“I’m feeling only happy and blessed. Everything feels like a dream come true,” Esther said.
The dimpled, wavy-haired tween is not just the pride of Mizoram for her moving renditions of patriotic songs, she has performed in concerts in Delhi, Manipur, Tripura, Kolkata, and Bengaluru. She first came into the national spotlight in October 2020, when her version of A R Rahman’s ‘Vande Mataram’ went viral after being shared by former Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga and later by PM Modi.
“She will soon be seen on the global stage, singing with big stars,” said her 10-year-old brother Samuel Hnamte proudly. “She is the best singer.”
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Church to stage
After school is over, Esther Hnamte heads straight for the television but not to catch up on cartoons. She watches Hindi films and songs not as entertainment but as education.
This is how she works on pronunciation, rhythm, and control in her singing.
“I watch Hindi movies and listen to Hindi songs to learn the language,” said Hnamte, who spends long hours daily memorising Hindi patriotic songs.
The youngest of three siblings, Esther has been singing since she was three, and she’s always been self-taught. Coming from a modest middle-class family—her father, H Lalrinenga, is a knife maker and her mother, R Lalawmpuii, a homemaker—she has never attended formal music classes or trained under a professional tutor. Instead, she picked up her early lessons at home, singing along as her mother led hymns during church prayers.
What began as singing during Sunday and Friday prayers at church soon led Esther to perform on bigger stages across different parts of India. The turning point came in August 2021, when Hnamte appeared in a music video of the national anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana’, on YouTube, featuring the Assam Rifles, which sponsored the project. The video garnered more than three million views within a week and has since crossed 56 million views.
It also shaped her repertoire. Regardless of the songs listed for an event, audiences often ended up cheering and demanding patriotic songs from her.
“She started from a small village, but now everybody knows her. She is the pride of our family and of Mizoram,” said Esther’s mother, R. Lalawmpuii. “Only language is a challenge.”
The awards have been coming at a steady clip right from the start, including a special appreciation from former state governor PS Sreedharan Pillai and the Young Achievers Award, presented by Dalmia Cement Bharat Limited. She was also honoured by the dairy brand Amul, which featured her as the Amul Girl in 2021.
A documentary on Hnamte’s life, A Star Is Born, won the Best Documentary Award (Silver) at the Northeast Film Festival 2023.
Of late, she has been making an effort to connect with Hindi-speaking fans through her social media content. During a visit to Delhi in May, she posted a vlog in which she spoke confidently in Hindi.
As she explored the Qutub Minar, she excitedly exclaimed: “Wow, dekho, dekho, kitna uncha hai”—Look how tall it is! Fans were charmed. “Ap hindi janta ho!” said one.
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‘Be grateful’
Like any young celebrity, Esther now has her own Instagram lookbook, from bright lehengas for performances to fashionable outfits off stage. As part of a local brand deal, she posed in a wine-red frock with a handbag to match in one photo last month, getting nearly 39,000 likes. In another, she paired sunglasses and a beige high-neck top with a plaid skirt. Dozens of heart reacts and “so cutes” poured in.
But Esther and her family are careful about keeping her grounded and humble.
“She is always taught to speak politely and be grateful to the people who support and love her,” said Melody, Esther’s aunt.
There’s no denying, though, that life has changed. Relatives and neighbours stream into the family’s small home most days, and invitations to perform come constantly from churches, schools, and for events across the country. The home is now filled with gifts that she receives from fans and brands.
The family have said yes to the Ambanis but they can barely keep up.
“We are cancelling many programmes in nearby villages and churches because of time constraints,” said Melody.
As she prepares for her Mumbai trip, one ambition stands above all the rest for Esther.
“I want to sing with AR Rahman. I want to share the stage with him,” she said. “I listen to his songs all the time.”
(Edited by Asavari Singh)