Kailash Kher Biography: Parents, Religion, Songs, Wife, Net Worth, Ethnicity, Age, Children

Kailash Kher is an Indian playback singer, songwriter, music composer, and live performer renowned for his powerful, rustic, and spiritually infused vocal style that blends Sufi, folk, and Hindustani classical traditions.

Widely known for breakout hits such as Allah Ke Bande, Teri Deewani, and Saiyyan, Kher emerged as a self-taught musical phenomenon in the mid-2000s, distinct from industry-trained playback singers.

His career spans Bollywood film soundtracks, independent devotional music, and international live performances, earning him numerous awards including the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer and the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honor, in 2017.

Quick Facts

• Full Name: Kailash Kher
• Born: 7 July 1973
• Age: 52 years old
• Birthplace: Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
• Nationality: Indian
• Occupation: Playback Singer, Songwriter, Music Composer, and Live Performer
• Height: 1.60 meters
• Parents: Chandrakanta Mehar Singh Kher, Pt. Mehar Singh Kher
• Siblings: 2
• Spouse: Sheetal Kher (née Sheetal Bhan)
• Children: Kabir Kher
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $18 million USD

Early Life and Education

Kailash Kher was born on 7 July 1973 in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India, to Pt. Mehar Singh Kher, an amateur traditional folk singer and musician, and Chandrakanta Mehar Singh Kher, into a family of Kashmiri Pandit ancestry.

He has one brother and one sister, though their names are kept private from mainstream media profiles.

Kher received fundamental primary schooling in New Delhi and Meerut but at age 14 left his home to seek isolation and find a classical music guru, leaving formal institutional schooling behind to teach music to younger children for survival.

Following a period of financial hardship, business collapse, and personal struggles in his late twenties, he completed his graduation through a correspondence program at the University of Delhi.

He possesses no formal university training or college degrees in music and remains entirely self-taught by listening to classical masters. He practices Hinduism.

Career

Kailash Kher began his career not as a singer but as a salesman and later a struggling businessman who ran a travel agency that failed, leaving him financially devastated.

His entry into music came through sheer persistence: he approached music directors across Mumbai for over a decade, surviving on odd jobs and sleeping on footpaths before receiving his first break as a backing vocalist.

Initial recognition arrived with the song Allah Ke Bande from the film Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part II (2003), which he wrote and sang, becoming an anthem of hope and catapulting him to overnight fame at age thirty—unusually late for a playback singer.

Kher’s major achievements include forming the fusion band Kailasa in 2004 with brothers Paresh and Naresh Kamath, producing hit albums Kailasa (2006), Jhoomo Re (2007), and Rangeele (2012), blending Sufi poetry with rock and folk instrumentation.

His Bollywood career grew with iconic songs such as Teri Deewani (2008), Saiyyan from Kailasa’s independent album, and Arziyan from Delhi-6 (2009), earning him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Teri Deewani.

He also composed music for films including Dasvidaniya (2008), Chandni Chowk to China (2009), and Khatta Meetha (2010), while becoming a sought-after live performer at national and international Sufi music festivals.

Later work saw Kher sustain his influence through devotional albums, collaborations with international artists, and mentoring roles on television singing reality shows as a judge.

His legacy includes representing Indian folk-Sufi fusion on global stages, from the Womad festival to the Nobel Peace Prize Concert.

He received the Padma Shri in 2017, a rare honor for a self-taught musician from non-filmy background.

His sustained influence appears in a generation of Indian singers who cite his raw, emotionally direct style as an alternative to classically trained playback traditions.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @kailashkher
• Facebook Handle: @KailashKher
• Twitter Handle: @kkailashkher
• YouTube Channel: Kailash Kher

Personal Life

Kailash Kher married Sheetal Kher (née Sheetal Bhan), a former film student, on 14 February 2009 (Valentine’s Day), and the couple has one son, Kabir Kher, born in December 2009.

He is known for his spiritual bent, incorporating Sufi philosophy into his music, and maintains a home studio in Mumbai where he continues to compose and mentor emerging talent.

Discography

• Allah Ke Bande – Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part II (2003)
• Kailasa (2006)
• Teri Deewani – Kailasa (2006)
• Jhoomo Re (2007)
• Saiyyan – Kailasa (2008)
• Arziyan – Delhi-6 (2009)
• Rangeele (2012)
• Bam Lehri – Kailasa (2015)
• Cares of Sajna (2020)
• Aaj Rang Hai (2022)

Net Worth

Kailash Kher has an estimated net worth of $18 million USD, primarily accumulated through playback singing royalties, album sales, international live performance tours, music composition fees, television judge appearances, and brand endorsements, with his independent band Kailasa contributing substantial revenue from streaming and merchandise.