She Sang for India

A picture book biography about a powerful Indian female singer who advocated for justice, feminism, and peace through song.

Before M.S. Subbulakshmi was a famous carnatic singer and the first Indian woman to perform at the United Nations, she was a young girl with a prodigious voice. But Subbulakshmi was not free to sing everywhere. In 1930s India, girls were not allowed to perform for the public. So Subbulaskhmi fought to sing at small festivals. Eventually, she broke tradition to record her first album. At Gandhi's request, Subbulakshmi sang for the nation during the partition of India and Pakistan. Her fame stretched across borders, and soon she was no longer just a young prodigy. She was a woman who changed the world. In this timely historical picture book biography, debut author Suma Subramaniam and illustrator Shreya Gupta illuminate a legendary singer's indomitable spirit and revolutionary voice.