By Hemant SharmaDevotional songs express reverence towards the divine through soul-stirring lyrics and melodies. India is essentially a religious country and has a highly vibrant devotional music landscape. The country has a long history of devotional singing, tracing right from the time of Bhakti movement in the medieval times. Even in the modern times, devotional singers have carved their own niche in the music industry of India. Devotional songs are played everyday in millions of households and religious places across the country. While most devotional singers are exclusively committed to religious singing, there are also many Bollywood singers who are equally well known for devotional songs. Let’s have a look at the top 10 most popular devotional singers in India for the year 2025.
1. Anuradha Paudwal
Anuradha Paudwal is the most prominent name in the devotional music landscape of India, and is popularly known as ‘Bhajan Queen of India’. She has sung more than 1500 devotional songs in several languages, including Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali, Sanskrit, Marathi, Odia and Brajbhasha. Paudwal has also lent her voice to many Bollywood songs. She is a recipient of multiple awards, including a Padma Shri, a national Film Award and four Filmfare Awards.
Anuradha Paudwal is known for her Durga and Shiv bhajans, and Ganga arti songs. Some of her popular devotional songs are Shiv Amritwani, Gayatri Mantra, Sri Krishna Govind Hare and more. Apart from Hindu bhajans, she has also song devotional songs of other religions, including Sikhism, Jainism and Christianity.
2. Anup Jalota
Anup Jalota is a popular name in the devotional music genre, and is popularly known as ‘Bhajan Samrat’. Apart from Hindu bhajans, he also specialises in a type of Urdu songs, known as ghazals. Jalota was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in the year 2012.
Anup Jalota debuted in devotional singing as a chorus singer on All India Radio. Some of his well known songs are Aisi Lagi Lagan, Ganesh Chalisa, Main Nahi Makhan Khayo, Sita Ram Kahiye and Rang De Chunariya.
3. Sandeep Bansal
Sandeep Bansal is a leading classical devotional singer who has gained global popularity on the back of his soulful and melodious voice. He has hundreds of bhajans, songs and covers under various music labels to his credit. Bansal has also collaborated with many famous singers like Anuradha Paudwal, Sadhna Sargam, Alka Yagnik and others.
Sandeep Bansal ventured into devotional singing with his debut devotional album Khidki Naseeb Ki, under T-Series label. He gained popularity for his Shyam Bhajans promoted by T-Series.
4. Sadhana Sargam
Sadhana Sargam is not only a famous playback singer but also a prominent devotional singer. She has sung over 15,000 songs, including devotional songs, in multiple Indian languages, such as Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Nepali, Kannada and more. The singer has two Filmfare Awards and a national Film Award to her credit.
Sadhana Sargam ventured into devotional singing in the year 2011 with the religious music album, Mahalaxmi Mukti Samvad. Her 2015 bhajan, Sai Ram Sai Shyam Sai Bhagwan, has garnered over 100 million views on YouTube till date. She regularly sings devotional songs for spiritual organisations like Brahma Kumaris and Satya Saibaba.
5. Vishu Bhatnagar
Vishu Bhatnagar is among the major devotional singers in India with more than 200 devotional music albums to his credit. He has sung devotional songs for multiple major music record labels like T-Series, Saregama, HMV, Venus and more. Bhatnagar sings in multiple languages, including Hindi, Punjabi and Rajasthani.
Vishu Bhatnagar’s Ramayan Ki Chopaiyan and Pyase Ko Paani Pilaya Nahi are among the best sellers in the devotional music genre. His other popular songs are Shyam Kiske Hain, Hanuman Gatha and Karmo Ki Hai Maaya.
6. Shankar Mahadevan
Shankar Mahadevan is a playback singer and music composer who is also popular for his devotional and classical music albums. He has sung more than 7000 film and non-film songs across languages like Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Malaysia and more. The singer is popularly known as Breathless Mahadevan due to his ability to sing in a single breath.
Shankar Mahadevan has numerous devotional songs to his credit. Some of the major ones include Shree Ganesh Deva, Shiv Chalisa, Lingashtakam, Eeswaramba Nandana and Hari Om Namah Shivay.
7. Suresh Wadkar
Suresh Wadkar is a playback singer who is also among the prominent devotional singers in India. He sings in multiple languages, including Hindi, Konkani, Marathi, Odia and Bhojpuri. Wadkar has won several awards, including Padma Shri by the Government of India and Sangeet Natak Academy Award.
Suresh Wadkar has sung many devotional songs for both Shaivaite and Vaishnav denominations. Some of his notable devotional songs include Omkar Swarupa, Ram Lala Se Neh Karo, Shiv Shambhu Jatadhari and Ganesh Mantra.
8. Kailash Kher
Kailash Kher is a singer and music composer specialising in both film and devotional songs. He is known for his expertise in classical Indian folk music and Sufi music. Kher is a recipient of several awards, including a Padma Shri and two Filmfare Awards.
Kailash Kher has sung a number of popular devotional songs. Some of his prominent devotional numbers are Adiyogi, Babam Bam, Devon Ke Dev, Jay Jay Kedara and Shiv Shambhu.
9. Maithili Thakur
Maithili Thakur is the youngest among the top devotional singers in India and a rising star in this genre. She is a trained folk and classical singer, and sings in multiple languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Maithili, Punjabi and Tamil. Thakur was awarded the Cultural Ambassador of India Award by the Government of India in the year 2024.
Some of the popular devotional songs by Maithili Thakur are Shiv Tandav Stotram, Ganeshay Dheemahi, Awadh Mein Ram Aaye Hain, Mere Bhole and Sunti Hoon Main Ram.
10. Kanhaiya Mittal
Kanhaiya Mittal is a popular devotional singer and live performer known for his high-octane energetic devotional numbers. He shot to fame and became a viral sensation for his religious track Jo Ram Ko Laye Hain. Some of his other popular numbers include Khatu Wale Shyam Dhani, Balaji Ka Ghota and Mera Shyam Bada Rangila.
Conclusion
Top devotional singers in India reach the audience through their music albums, YouTube channels and other social media platforms. They are frequently invited to perform on various religious occasions.