Manju Singh was a veteran Indian actress, producer, showbiz personality and one of the pioneers of television content in India, popularly known as Didi, She was also the founder and president of WorldKids.
Wiki/Biography
Manju Singh was born on Monday 20 December 1948.age 73 years; at the time of death) His zodiac sign was Sagittarius.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 4″
Hair Color: brown
Eye Colour: brown
Manju Singh in his youth
family
Children
Manju had three children. They had 2 daughters, Suparna and Shalini. They also had a son Gautam.
career
Television
Manju Singh started her career in 1983 with the first sponsored program ‘Show Time’ on the small screen. He produced various TV shows ranging from serials to children’s shows and chose a variety of topics ranging from spiritual concepts to activism. The early era of color broadcasting. He highlighted national, social and cultural issues in his shows. She produced a documentary-drama series Adhikar, which was based on the legal rights of women. His show Ek Kahani was based on literary short stories from several regional languages. He also produced the impeccably researched historical serial Swaraj to commemorate fifty years of Indian independence. He hosted the kids show ‘Khel Khiladi’ which ran for about 7 years.
thin crust
Manju Singh was introduced to acting by filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee. He offered her the role of Ratna Sharma, sister of lead protagonist Ramprasad D. Sharma (Amol Palekar) in his 1979 film Golmaal. She played several roles in films like ‘Hanky Panky’ (1979), ‘Ladies’. Taylor’ (1981), and ‘Screen Two’ (1985). She started by playing the role of a sister and gradually progressed to play the role of a grandmother. He also produced the film Samyaktva: True Insight on spirituality and relevance of ancient Indian wisdom in the 21st century.
Founder of WorldKids Foundation
In 2007, Manju Singh founded the WorldKids Foundation with the motto ‘Entertainment with a Purpose’, a non-profit organization that seeks to encourage children to form healthy opinions on important issues through films.
The Foundation organizes global children’s film festivals to help bring educational films to the classroom. It screens children’s films at the NCPA on the first Saturday of every month. According to Manju, children’s films do not have to be unnecessary preaching or extravagant. In an interview, she said,
As mothers, we have the power to positively influence our children. We hope that our efforts will create awareness about important topics and encourage women to play a more constructive role in shaping the values of the younger generation.
Manju was also the chairperson of the WorldKids Foundation, which collaborated with Women Without Borders, an Austrian organization that works for world peace and communal harmony by involving local women in their projects globally. He advocated the use of media to encourage a better social environment. In an interview, she said,
It aims to encourage women to fight against violent extremism by giving them the idea of a peaceful and non-violent world in their families. It is our belief that if mothers themselves follow values such as tolerance and understanding of world cultures, we will be able to create a fair, just and partisan world.
death
Manju Singh left for her heavenly abode on Thursday, 14 April 2022. Reportedly, he passed away in Mumbai due to cardiac arrest. In a media announcement, his family said,
It is with great sadness that we inform you about the passing of our Manju Singh. She lived a beautiful and inspiring life dedicated to her family and her craft. From ‘Manju Didi’ to ‘Manju Nani’, she will be truly missed by everyone.”
In an interview, Manju Singh’s elder daughter clarified the reason for his death. He said,
He died of a stroke at his residence at around 10 am on Thursday.
His last rites were performed on Saturday, 16 April 2022 as his family awaits the arrival of his granddaughter from New York. Various personalities from the industry, including lyricist-singer-writer Swanand Kirkire, expressed their condolences.
No Manju Singh! Manju ji is a visionary for Doordarshan away from Delhi! For DD he made a story, show time etc. Hrishikesh’s main prediction is the main future game. pic.twitter.com/aKFvMJeFYF
— Swanand Kirkire (@swanandkirkire) April 15, 2022
Facts / Trivia
- In 2012, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) invited Manju Singh as a resource person in Sahyodaya conferences, which deals with innovative ideas on development and evaluation of life skills and values among students.
- In 2015, he was named as a member of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) due to his contributions to TV, films, creative arts and academics.